AC: Hey guys new chapter and I'm super sorry for taking so long I hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who's read/reviewed/favorite-ed/ this story please continue to do what you guys do so I can do what I do to make you guys smile like you make me smile. Don't forget I have a forum if anyone wants to bounce some ideas or has any questions about anything and you guys know I'm always open to ideas for this story.

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Sweetness of a Tooth and Ferocity of a Dragon

Terryal took her first step out on the back porch and nearly leapt back inside when a small horde of people jumped from behind trees and other objects shouting a loud and hearty "SURPRISE!"

The demon squealed and clapped her hands over her mouth almost immediately afterwards as though covering her mouth will have made the sound somehow disappear. Everyone she had met thus far were all staring back at her, plus one girl she did not recognize. Yusuke and Kuwabara were both grinning ear to ear as they stood next to a tall girl with long brunette hair and round chocolate eyes. Botan, Yukina, and Shizuru were all standing together and cradled in the blue-haired female's slender hands was a large red and gold cake. Kurama was near the back of the crowd with a very annoyed looking Hiei who was clearly dragged to the event while a smirking Genkai stepped out from behind the shocked demon female, shutting the doors behind them both.

"I…I don't understand…" Terryal stammered while looking out at the crowd in front of her.

"It's a welcome party for you silly!" Botan explained while taking a moment to set the cake down on the long picnic table that had been placed on the yard before walking up the steps to meet the psychic.

"We all pitched in, it was Yukina's idea though." She said

"I…I am at a loss for words that are appropriate…" she mumbled as her eyes left Botan and landed on the ice apparition.

"I know how hard it is to start a new life somewhere you've never been and with people you don't know. I've come to feel at home here like I'm with family…and I know we can never replace yours…I just thought you might want to be part of ours…" Yukina explained timidly

Terryal was stunned into silence, she left Botan's side and made her way down the porch to Yukina, her steps were slow and wobbly and her eyes shimmered with tears that were welling up at her eyelids. The entire backyard was silent as the psychic stopped a few feet in front of Yukina, silent tears streaming down her face and then suddenly threw herself into the other apparition's arms. Burying her face in the girl's chest and gripping the back of her dress as though it was the last solid thing on earth. Terryal wept and she was not silent. Botan and the unnamed girl rushed to the pair's side, Shizuru had already rested a comforting hand on the shoulder of the weeping creature and Yukina, after taking a moment to recover from the suddenness of the event, had wrapped her arms around Terryal in a motherly sort of fashion. As the girls fawned over the crying psychic Kuwabara scratched the back of his head as he watched the ground looking anxious and guilty while Yusuke looked confused but not guilty in the least. Kurama kept his gentle smile in place, he had an idea of what the girl was crying about and if his hunch was right it was nothing to feel guilty for.

"Are you ok?" murmured the new-comer.

Terryal, after taking a few breaths to calm down, pulled reluctantly from Yukina's embrace and began to swipe away the tears on her now puffy face.

"I am well now, forgive my outburst it was…unexpected…" was all she could say while avoiding the girls' faces now feeling quite embarrassed. "I feel overwhelmed; never in all my years would I have expected something such as this…"

"Common enough with the tears, this is supposed to be a party kiddo," Shizuru drawled as she ruffled the girl's ebony hair.

Another genuine smile wormed its way onto Terryal's face; she broke free from her comforting circle and took a deep breath before speaking to the remaining boys and Genkai.

"I ask forgiveness for my actions. This evening is truly a happy occasion and must be cherished greatly. I have found myself with a fine group of protectors, so now I purpose that we resume as planned and we shall enjoy festivities that will make even the Creator jealous!" She cheered earning an "Amen to that!" from Yusuke.

"That's the spirit kiddo," Shizuru encouraged while patting Terryal on the head before passing her to reach the elderly woman on the porch.

The remaining three girls cheered and chattered amongst themselves while Terryal watched their enthusiasm with a twinkling gleam in her eye. Yusuke fired up a grill that the team had brought in and placed outside and was roasting burgers on it in a matter of seconds, the smell of which snagged the demon psychic's attention causing her to wonder over and peak at the contents of the grill.

"What is that wonderful aroma?" She inquired with childlike wonder glittering in her eyes.

"It's called a burger" Yusuke chuckled as he watched the girl's tongue trail across her lips

"I have never known a plant to create such a scent," she mumbled in awe.

"Plant?" He began, saying the word with clear distaste, "There ain't nothin but a hundred percent meat on these bad boys."

"Meat…as in from a living creature?" Terryal questioned skeptically

"Not anymore." He laughed, "What else would they be made of?"

"I was unaware that one was able to consume the meat of another. It was not something that was done back home, however all living things larger then insects were kept out by the Great Divide." She thought aloud

"Woah Woah Woah…you mean to tell me that you have never eaten meat before?" Yusuke exclaimed while waving the spatula in the girl's face.

"No, it is not a flavor that has graced my tongue." she replied while staring cross-eyed at the cooking tool in her face.

"You don't have any weird things against eating meat right?"

"The elders never discouraged the eating of an animal, but it was not a food source we were capable of acquiring." Terryal explained blinking her sore eyes and moving them upwards to stare at the chef.

"Kay good cause this is gunna get fixed." Yusuke stated while he poked and prodded at the red meat.

"Yusuke don't force her to eat it if she doesn't want to." Exclaimed the taller brunette girl that Terryal still had not been introduced to.

"He forces nothing upon me," Terryal was interrupted briefly by a gloating "Ha! See," from Yusuke as he pointed the greasy spatula at the shorter female before returning his attention to the grill. "Surely something that smells so exquisite must have a taste that is at the very least fair." The psychic reassured the other girl as she sized her up, taking in every feature including the girl's forest green uniform.

"Ok, but don't hesitate to tell him to back off, he's pretty stubborn and sometimes needs someone to spell things out for him," she chuckled

Yusuke turned his spatula away from the grill once more to point it accusingly at brunette, his eyes were narrowed in a glare but his face was a frustrated and childish pout.

"Just for that, I'm you're getting the burnt one."

The teen girl laughed and swatted at his arm playfully, despite the way they mocked each other they still smiled and laughed in the end; the string of actions were confusing to Terryal but they were amusing to watch none the less. She remembered the way Hiei and Kuwabara had squabbled in the hotel room merely days before, even though there was hostility in the tone of both, there was a certain something that told her that neither truly hated each other. This case was very much the same save for the fact that the way the two laughed when they were together, it was much like the way she described lovers act to Botan. One person's attitude truly pulled a reaction from another.

"Ah! You two are lovers." Terryal stated as though she had just happened upon a discovery.

The two rounded on her with red faces and leapt onto the defensive alternating between responses with Yusuke in the lead.

"No!"

"Well not exactly-"

"It's nothing like that!"

"It's a bit more-"

"Keiko and I never-"

"We haven't really done anything…"

"Like she'd ever let me anyway." Were the last words to fall from Yusuke's mouth, the words had been dripping with annoyance as though he was almost blaming the girl named Keiko for something.

"Yusuke! And what's that supposed to mean?" Keiko shouted now furious with the boy next to her.

Terryal was at a complete loss. She wasn't sure how to react, not even moments before the pair was perfectly happy and now with one sentence everything had crashed down around her as though she had knocked over carefully prepared dominos. She cautiously stepped away from the pair in hopes to dislodge herself from the conflict without being noticed, conflict made her stomach upset. She eased her way to a tree where Kurama was standing however she didn't notice this until she backed into the boy. The psychic jumped in surprise and quickly admitted her apologies to the fox who smiled in return and chuckled at her embarrassment.

"You really need to train your senses more." He confided.

"What have I done to cause your mind to find this conclusion?" Terryal inquired.

"Well running into me for one," he chuckled, "And two, the surprise party wouldn't have worked on me, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei or even Genkai. We would've sensed everyone and in the situation you're in right now, we can't afford your senses to be weak."

"I am aware of this but I was under the impression that you and your fellow companions did not wish for me to enter your mind," Terryal was clearly confused but her response brought even more confusion with it causing Kurama to cock his eyebrow.

"Yes…but what does that have to do with sensing our energy?"

"I was taught to sense another's presence by listening for their inner voice. By this I am referring to the mind. I cannot sense the presence of someone I am unable to enter the mind of, I could've sensed you had I forced my position but out of respect for your wishes I remained separate from you as well as the others. I sensed Botan because she has made no effort to hide her mind from me yet, and has never expressed distaste for me being there." Terryal explained with a nonchalant shrug, her eyes were stoic.

"Could you learn to sense others using a different method?' Kurama asked clearly fearful of the answer.

"Using the inner Reikai as a medium is the most efficient way to locate another being. It is why we are taught to search for others in this way. The mind has strength and presence it is not something that can be hidden, blocked yes, but never hidden. One can hide the energy emitted from their inner Makai and Nigenkai but their mind is always present and unchanging. However if it brings ease to your heart I shall try to learn to sense others in the more inferior fashion." It was clear Terryal was not trying to be condescending so Kurama smiled.

"We'll start training you as soon as possible," Terryal nodded, her face was serious which reassured Kurama that, despite her feelings, she did see the importance of this ability.

"Hiei was present a moment ago, where has he gone?" the shorter demon asked.

Kurama just chuckled and pointed up Terryal's head shot skyward and low and behold there he was resting against the trunk of the tree perched precariously on a high branch. Her face flushed a violent red when she realized he had been there to see her squeak; again, he was ever present in her most embarrassing of moments. It wouldn't bother her except he seemed to show distaste towards the effeminate noise and after making, what she considered a breakthrough, with him she wanted to keep things that annoyed him to a minimum.

"Hiei," She called only to be answered with silence.

Once again he had not denied her the ability to continue speaking but he did not say he wanted her to either. She took a deep breath before continuing tentatively, waiting, almost expecting, for him to silence her.

"I would like to express to you my gratitude for staying here this evening, it is to my understanding that you are not particularly fond of socializing and by extension the events revolved around them." Terryal paused for a moment allowing him to say something to silence her but when there was no sound she continued while Kurama watched the two curiously.

"I give you my most gracious of thanks. However, I feel it only fair to inform you that your mere presence during the unveiling of this surprise is enough to show your support and therefore fulfills your social obligation to be here. Also I am among your team so there is no need for you to stay and protect me which covers your only other obligation to be in my presence. In sort: in order avoid frustrating you more with the shenanigans of others I invite you to leave whenever you see fit."

Kurama's eyes darted up to Hiei who was, much to his surprise, eyeing the psychic as he pondered her words. Red orbs stared back into Terryal's yellow ones, the fire apparition was mildly shocked that the girl had bothered to remember that information about him, and even more so when she had taken this knowledge of him into consideration. This party was for her, most would only be considering themselves in this situation but she seemed against the idea. Even when she insisted that the party should continue it seemed only for the benefit of everyone else and not herself. He let out an audible sigh and turned away from her and after a taking another moment of silence he spoke.

"Thanks for the offer but I'm not going anywhere. I don't trust the oaf or the detective with your life, and if an attack were to happen I wouldn't want Kurama having all the fun." He replied simply.

Terryal clenched a little at the idea of battling being fun but, with much difficulty, she swallowed her potential response and decided not to dampen the happy occasion.

"Baby steps…" she thought

"I think you're growing on him," Kurama whispered to the psychic causing her to smile.

Hiei, having overheard Kurama, let out a growl causing the taller man to chuckle but he made no move to retract the statement.

Yukina and Botan watched Terryal as she interacted with the group suddenly looking more relaxed and at home. It was truly a wonderful thing; Botan heaved a sigh of relief, grateful that their shared time together would no longer be awkward.

"This is a really nice thing you did Yukina," the reaper's pink eyes smiled just as much as her mouth.

"It's nothing," assured the ice maiden with a gentle smile, "I just wanted her to be able to find family here…like I did." Her gentle red eyes squinted with the movement of her smile as she watched Terryal call up a tree to the boy who had eyes as crimson as the ones she had herself.

Botan's head snapped towards Yukina immediately, she was completely unsure of weather a response was necessary or not. Never in her life had this particularly gossipy reaper wanted to tell Yukina more about the whereabouts of her brother until this exact moment. However, there was something in the way the vertically challenged female spoke that led her much taller companion to wonder if she already knew. Does Yukina already know that Hiei is her brother? The thought coursed through her mind over and over again leading to no answer because in reality the words the apparition spoke could easily be interpreted either way. Botan sighed and pressed her index fingers to her temples while pouting a bit, all this over-thinking was giving her a headache.

After a few more moments of everyone socializing in little groups Yusuke called everyone together for their meal. He held true to his earlier statement and gave Keiko the more overcooked burger in retaliation for her insults and as revenge for the fight he clearly lost. She, in return for his actions, snubbed him when he offered up the seat next to him and instead chose to sit next to the guest of honor Terryal (who hardly noticed her presence due to her fixation with the slab of meat placed before her).

"Have you really never eaten meat before?" Keiko asked while stifling a smile.

"My home was cut off from all living things that were capable of mobility. Animals are alive and as far as I know they are quite capable of propelling themselves therefore, we did not see any. Plants and vegetables are an entirely different story." Terryal explained with a bland tone.

She lifted the burger to her face, took one long sniff of it, then set it back down again and continued to eye it with suspicion. Keiko, Botan, Kuwabara and Yusuke couldn't help but continue to stare at psychic as she seemed to weigh the pros and cons of trying this new dish.

"Creator forgive me for I am unsure of where you stand on this." She thought.

Terryal deliberated another moment before picking up the burger once more and deciding that the Creator brought life to carnivores that needed meat to survive. In the end she came to the conclusion that she was carefully given life by the Creator just as those animals had been. So when she finally devoured this now-dead creature she would be simply continuing the circle of life her great deity had set up for everyone else. She sucked in a breath as well as the burger, taking in a bite much larger then her onlookers had expected, as though she had adopted an, "If you're only going to do it once, do it big," sort of mentality. There was moment of silence among four aforementioned teens as they watched the chocolate-skinned girl chew and swallow the gigantic bite with ease. Yusuke and Kuwabara were both mildly impressed.

There was another short moment of silence after Terryal looked up and noticed four sets of eyes staring at her, though it was not the entire table she still felt her cheeks burn under the weight of their stares. She singled Yusuke out and looked squarely into his round brown eyes deciding to draw out the silence between them since he was clearly anxious to hear about her opinion.

"Well spit it out already what'd you think!" he shouted across the table at her, his patience had already peaked and spilled over after not even a minute of staring.

"It is a flavor that is impossible to describe as I have never experienced one such as it. Despite my aversions I have found this meal to be quite satisfying and I thank you for your effort in preparing it." Terryal complimented.

Her smile reached from ear to ear knowing that she had caused his outburst, the vertically challenged girl was beginning to understand why these people found humor at others expense. Yusuke grinned in return while giving her a childish "I told you so," look but it quickly turned into shock when she finished off her rather large burger in only three more bites. The shock wasn't just on his face but it was present on Botan, Keiko's and Kuwabara's as well. Kurama, Genkai, Yukina and Shizuru were sitting at he left end of the table and completely unaware of the goings on next to them as they were all immersed in conversation.

"I ask forgiveness, have I offended you in some fashion?" Terryal asked as she stared up at Yusuke, the downward angle was creating the look of a puppy pleading for mercy.

"Nah I just don't think Urameshi's ever seen anyone put away his food so fast." Said Kuwabara, having been the first to snap out of the shock; the briefly made smile contorted into a frown as he mumbled, "Come to think of it I don't think I've seen anyone put away any food that fast."

"I truly am sorry, despite appearances my mouth is rather large and the jaws of my people are set in a way that allows the ability to create a larger opening. It is habit for me to eat in this way but if it offends you I will take smaller bites." Terryal explained while opening her mouth as wide as she could for a demonstration.

"Oh my!" Botan exclaimed which swiftly followed by a "Woah" from the two boys, Keiko said nothing but turned away as it looked slightly unnatural.

"Man you got enough room to grow tusks in there!" Yusuke hollered in sheer childish wonderment.

"Uh…Urameshi…I think its already happening," Kuwabara noted while pointing to the girl's twin sets of fangs.

Terryal shut her mouth instantly, nearly taking Kuwabara's finger in the process and covered her mouth with a blush, she didn't noticed the carrot-top teen's yelp at his almost-lost finger. She once again found herself floating in a sea of embarrassment, she had never really been self conscious until she met this group and her family had been so different from everyone here. At first she believed that they were the ones who were backwards but it was very quickly becoming apparent to her that she was the oddball out in this group. Did they think her to be backwards as well? Despite the psychic's usual poise and confidence she couldn't bring herself to feel the same way in this situation when she thought of how strange they must think her to be.

"Stop it boys, you're making her self-conscious," chastised Keiko while placing a sympathetic arm on Terryal's shoulder.

"Is there no end to the surprises that are held within the words of humans?" thought the psychic.

"There is no reason for you to react this way Keiko it is only logical for me to react this way to their stares. A woman with fangs such as mine is not a common site I'm sure," Reasoned the apparition.

"On the contrary, Yukina has fangs," Botan interjected while pointing down the table at the ice apparition who was conveniently laughing at something Shizuru had said.

In light of the five o'clock sun it was somewhat difficult but not impossible to see the small pointed canines in the green-haired girl's mouth.

"Hiei and Kurama got 'em too. Hell I grew them as soon as I turned demon," Yusuke agreed while showing off his own fangs for Terryal to see.

The bronze-skinned psychic was touched by the efforts of those at the table to banish her uneasy thoughts but she still felt that it was useless.

"It is not so much the having fangs that bothers me, all demons have them partially for uses of mating but not one of you has two sets of fangs." She murmured.

"What does that have to do with anything?" asked the tallest boy at the table, Kuwabara.

"It is part of the many signs that the Creator does not wish for me to find love with one from my home. It is one of the few things I have felt self-conscious about even while amongst my family. My fangs are the sign of an outcast and an eventual Defect…I was told my mother cried when she saw them. My older brother was born without fangs and had already been labeled an eventual Defect with me she would have no grandchildren that were of any importance to her…" Terryal was staring intently at her plate; she told herself that she would not cry in front of these people again.

Burdening this group with her life was already disrespectful enough but if she were to cry in front of them then that would truly be rude. To willingly explain to them such things then beg for help to forget the fowl memories. The mere thought made her want to vomit. The few that were listening shared a moment of silence all of them showing blatant distress at her situation but it wasn't a topic anyone wanted to continue on unless Terryal did. When the psychic showed no signs of wanting to pick up the conversation it was swiftly changed.

They talked amongst themselves for a moment, telling stories of old times and adventures that they embarked on together. All of which were fascinating and disturbing for the sheltered Terryal but she did not hesitate to occasionally ask a question. The group seemed to enjoy encouraging her curiosity about them and by the time they were done she had a full working knowledge of the events that preceded their meeting. Soon after that the cake was cut and passed around for all to enjoy and this moment taught everyone just how big a sweet tooth Terryal actually had. The tiny psychic took it upon herself to have four slices of the strawberry flavored confectionary, which probably wasn't as big of a deal to her as it was to others because she ate each slice in two bites. What the psychic apparition found impressive was that Hiei, who had gotten a burger earlier only to eat it away from everyone else, had returned to the table once the cake had been sliced and accepted four pieces of his own. She hadn't expected someone like him to have a weakness for sweets.

After the conversation and merriment everyone moved from their respected seats, the boys helped to put away and clean up the bigger mess of the outside while the girls moved into the house with the dishes and smaller mess. Save for Shizuru and Genkai who stayed outside to act as slave drivers to "motivate" the boys' work.

Terryal was forcibly dragged into the kitchen with the other girls and made to help clean and put away the utensils used that evening. The girls giggled and chatted amongst themselves; Terryal was content in just watching them interact until Keiko eventually rounded on the demon with her large brown eyes. The pleading look Keiko gave the demoness made the young psychic realize that a favor was about to be asked so she braced herself for the newfound attention.

"So Terry, you're a psychic right?" Keiko inquired, just as Terryal had expected her to.

"I tell life's story, yes. Why has this question befallen you?" the response was strange not just for its wording but for the skeptical tone it was given in.

"Can you read anyone's future? Or just yours?"

"I am able to read the fate of anyone who desires me to do so. It is a much simpler job on a being that is not given the same gift of visible fate as my family has been given. I need only to read the hairs and lines on the body to know their destiny, however surely you do not desire me to do such a thing here? Others are present and I am unsure of the protocol for removing ones clothing in human world while amongst friends." She knew exactly where the human girl was going with the question and beat her to it.

"So…there's no other way to read my fortune? I have to show you my whole body?" Keiko stuttered, her cheeks were flushed and her body had stiffened at the mere idea of stripping in front of the girls.

"Well it does depend on what you wish me to reveal to you."

"What about…who I'm going to marry?"

Terryal stared at the teen for a moment before letting an almost teasing smirk fall upon her face. It was a look that no one had seen yet and a look that Terryal didn't use often. She wasn't really the teasing type. Without a word of explanation she grabbed Keiko's right arm and shoved her longs sleeves (which she had already rolled up in order to keep them out of the dish-soap water) further up the girl's pale arm. Terryal said nothing as her calm yellow eyes scanned the arm of the teenager while her fingers went to work poking, prodding and even pinching the skin along the appendage. There were a few moments of silence as both Botan and Yukina had stopped what they were doing to watch the masterful fortune teller at work and what finally broke the silence was a light snicker that led into a full throated and boisterous laugh from Terryal. The sound startled Botan, having not heard it come from the ebony-haired demon before; honestly she didn't expect to ever hear a sound like that from her.

"I hope your patience is limitless my friend for it is a trait you will need greatly." Terryal gasped between her giggles, "You have no reason to fear for your current relationship as it seems fate has put you with a mate who has the attributes of a child. After listening to you all regale the tales of Yusuke's adventures there is no doubt in my heart that he is most certainly the one your destiny speaks of."

"How did you know I was asking about Yusuke," Keiko asked as she pulled her arm away from the girl and began rubbing the skin where it had been pinched. Her face was pink as she wondered if she was truly that obvious to someone who had never met her before.

"You wear your mind on your sleeve child; it is a trait most humans succumb to. I need not even read your mind to understand how it works. Also…the mind of a human is much louder then that of a demon so I could not resist taking a small peak." She began the sentence as though she was wise and when she finished she brought a revelation to the girls in the room.

In this case it did not matter whether Terryal was truly wise or not because what was truly at work here was not any sort of psychic intuition; it was merely the morbid curiosity and nosiness of a child. Keiko wasn't sure she liked the idea of Terryal wondering through her head but it was clear by the tone that she had meant no harm by it, there was clearly a social custom at work here so instead of making a scene the teen relaxed and made a note to ask the girl about it later.

"Do you know who you're destined to mate with Terryal?" Yukina's voice was soft and there was a certain politeness in her voice as she said the other demon's name.

At this moment it occurred to the girl in question that the only girl in this room to share her height might also be the only girl who would continue to call her by her full name instead of the abbreviated "Terry" that seemed to keep coming up.

"I know not his face or name, what is told to me by Fate is little. My Fate only says that the one who will capture my heart has the ferocity and temperament of dragon and that I will know him by his scent of charcoal and winter pines." Yellow eyes stared into a distance far beyond the reach of any of the three worlds; her words were spoken flatly, with no emotion.

They were words the girl had told herself a thousand times, they were rehearsed; she knew them like she longed to know her future lover. The words echoed through the heads of Terryal's three current companions and all of their minds pointed to one person. As they stared at the dragon circling Terryal's right arm, somewhere in the night a certain Jagan master was doing the same…