Ten

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

Kimiko offered a light shrug.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

Raizen scowled, but it lacked heat.

"It was reckless," he replied.

"Yes, and everyone else does reckless things all the time," she pointed out. "At least mine was done with the intention of keeping the peace."

"Intention didn't seem to matter that much. And you shouldn't have gone with so few people."

"It was either go under my terms or fight with yours," she retorted, folding her arms stubbornly across her chest. "You would have sent a dozen people with me at least, including everyone who just helped us get back here."

"Instead you took a guard, a messenger, and a spy," and Raizen's growl became much more threatening on the last word.

"Leave Momo out of this, it's not her fault King Enma was an asshole and was using her the way he did."

Raizen's snarl was clearly displeased, but Kimiko refused to be intimidated. For one thing, it took energy, and she was still tired from the excessive use of the Blossom's power. Which was why this argument was actually taking place in her room, with only him. No doubt Yusuke would also take his turn at griping at her once she was more awake...

"I have to be allowed to be reckless sometimes," she pointed out. "You'll let Yusuke do it, but not me? Yusuke fights worse than I do about you dropping people on his head, you know. Especially now."

Her father's expression turned sharp, and she sighed.

"Arguably, by doing things my way, we actually came out ahead. Not counting the fact that you leveled half the mountain range in expressing your displeasure. Koenma's on our side, having agreed to be a political prisoner; he comes with two of the shinobi, and a spirit guide. Whatever Momo, Kurama, and the shinobi did underground, it freed a lot of people from whatever hold Enma had on them. They haven't been flooding into Tourin, maybe, but I'm willing to bet that the ones who survived know just who they have to thank for that."

"But you were almost caught up again."

"Yes, and the key words there is almost." Kimiko shook her head a little, spreading her hands lightly. "I've been trained for twenty years now. I'm not helpless, and I think I just proved that. Yes, I needed help to get out, but my exit would have happened even without your distractions."

Raizen reached over, and put his hand on her head.

"There are less unnerving ways to prove to me that you need less oversight," he said after a long minute.

Kimiko gave her father a tiredly patient look, then reached up and caught his wrist lightly. He wasn't always the best at affection, but he did tried, and she appreciated that. Because she did regret worrying him, she picked her words with the intent of softening what she needed to say.

"I went to Makai with Yusuke the first time, three years ago, and had over a dozen people with me, not including Yusuke and Hiei. I didn't need them then, but I let it happen because you needed it. I know you regret what happened, but it's never been your fault, Father," and she gave him a half-smile. "I also know you try your best to not smother me, but I have to fall down too, and figure things out without a buffer around me. Something like this helps me find out where I'm strong and what I need to work on."

"...well, I suppose you wouldn't be a child of mine if you didn't get into hair-raising messes," he grumbled a little. "What's the human phrase?"

"You already have white hair," she chuckled a little. "I'm not sure they apply."

"You'll make it whiter."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she said cheekily.

He sighed, and cuffed her head very gently.

"How's your leg doing?"

Kurama glanced up from his book and smiled in welcoming as Kimiko settled at the table with a small stack of papers. She looked better, but also worn, and he wondered just what she'd spent her morning doing, to arrive looking that tired.

"It's fine. The ache has mostly faded. Between Yukina's preliminary work, and your own, it's healed up quite well."

A fleeting smile crossed her face, then faded.

"I suppose you'd like to yell at me too?"

Ah. That explained the reticence, then. She wasn't interested in being scolded further. Given that she had probably already been chewed on by her father and brother, Kurama just shook his head lightly.

"While reckless, it was a sound strategic move that might well have given over the greater advantage, even as the hoped for treaty has fallen through in the moment. Koenma remaining here as the political prisoner you were clearly intended to be makes things quite awkward for Reikai politics at this point in time."

She looked surprised, then relieved, and grateful. He reached over and lightly patted her hand comfortingly.

"I do wish you had waited, but what's done is done. I am just glad you are not hurt."

"Yes, well... I wasn't interested in fighting about it," she said, and the words were tired, sounding like she'd said them repeatedly. Which, knowing her family, she had. "I wish it hadn't all gone sour the way it did. I'd like to know why everything ended up in the midden, really. Did King Enma expect that I wouldn't read the terms, or that I would?"

"Try not to let it eat you," he advised, this time smoothing some of her hair back, a touch she leaned into. "The reason is as moot as the treaty at this point."

She sighed, then nodded a little.

"Not much can be done until either we get another army trying to portal in, or a message from King Enma in response to whatever Koenma sent him," she said. "If nothing else, it gives me a chance to start on the projects I'd put off..."

"Which ones?" he smiled teasingly. "You take on so many."

She huffed, a quick smile crossing her face, then flipped through some of the papers and pulled out a fairly thick sheaf, which she passed over to him.

"This one I get to pass on to you. It's a bit late, but I mentioned it to Father, and while he grumbled, he did agree that without you, I never would have come out of that tower."

Kurama blinked, then straightened a little in surprise; he had entirely forgotten about the promised reward that came from her rescue.

"I never..."

She smiled, and this one was fond.

"I know. I actually remembered while I was in Reikai. You not bringing it up actually worked in your favor; you were more interested in helping me than in getting your own reward. So, after a bit of pushing, Father agreed that you'd earned it."

Somehow, Kurama got the impression that it was more Kimiko had been insistent; if there was one thing he understood about that relationship it was that Kimiko's persistence got her pretty much what she wanted. It was a good thing she wasn't inclined to use it very often. It just... surprised him to have that persistence be on his behalf.

"I owe you a lot, Kurama," she said softly. "And I think some of my problems stem from the fact that I feel that, very keenly. You don't have to accept, and if you think it's too much, there's certainly smaller holdings, but it'd make me happy if you did accept some sort of reward."

He studied her for a thoughtful minute; in truth, he had his reward. She was sitting here, talking to him, caring for and about him. Willing to be courted by him. But this would plainly help her, and after all, why not?

"These holdings... would you share them with me at some point?"

She flushed, and flapped a hand at him as she looked away, plainly embarrassed... but maybe also pleased?

"Just look through the paperwork, you brat."

He grinned, then obligingly started to peruse the paperwork. It wasn't quite an answer, but he hoped she would grow into the idea with some time.

It wouldn't be half as much fun without her.

"So, what're you going to do now?" Yusuke asked, leaning idly against the wall as Koenma panted for breath.

Koenma half-glared up at his friend; he didn't even have the decency to pretend he was tired from jogging halfway around the outer wall of Tourin.

"Besides... suffer?"

Yusuke's grin was bright with humor and also absolutely merciless.

"That's what you get for sittin on your ass all day, stamping papers," he mocked cheerfully. "Be glad Sis intervened and said to start you slow, or Pops would be getting involved."

Koenma shuddered a little, not entirely sure that Yusuke was joking.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I have to think about it. This is going to only hold for so long before my father thinks the reward of trying to control Makai is greater than the risk of what Raizen will do to me if he decides to invade. It'll be even less once he understands that I'm much more a guest here than Kimiko was there."

"I mean, Pops and his buddies did kind of blow up the mountain range," and Yusuke gestured slightly off to the north. "You'd think that'd be kinda off-putting."

The damage couldn't be seen from where they stood, but Koenma had seen it when he'd garnered up the courage to ask. The idea that his father had even entertained the idea of controlling Makai was almost ludicrous. These beings needed to be separated from humans, maybe, but there were saner, easier ways than picking a fight with them.

"That won't stop him for very long. Or some of the generals," Koenma sighed a little. "I don't know..."

"Welp, while you think about it, we've got more running to do. Come on, fancy-butt~"

Koenma didn't bother to hide his groan, but pushed himself up; if he didn't Yusuke would just drag him along until he started running on his own. Really, all he wanted to do was go hide in the library for a few hours, read a good book maybe...

It didn't really help when he was joined by what he was starting to realize was the core group that compromised his friends; Kimiko catching up with her gold-streaked black hair tied back and jingling slightly courtesy of the tie at the end of her braid, a domed hat limiting her view of the large sky; Amber sliding up on his left and giving him a small smile of sympathy—and affection? Momo and Botan were both panting along behind, having been told that training was mandatory if they wanted to stay in Tourin. Jin was flying, the smug cheater, but Toya was running. Even Kurama, only just healed, had joined them.

Funny to realize that he was going to be relying on these people to do more than just keep him safe in this environment. Somewhat scary to realize that Raizen now legitimately controlled his life... but also a little comforting too; Yusuke and Kimiko were prime examples of how Raizen was both father and leader, and neither one of them was afraid.

How, he found himself wondering, would his own life have been if King Enma had parented him more, and focused on control of Reikai less?

"Can't I just lay here and be dead?"

Kimiko laughed a little, and shook her head. Botan, Momo, and Koenma were all sprawled out on the stone of the interior training hall, each one in various states of exhausted.

"Not in Makai. Come on, up, all of you. Training's only just begun."

She had tapped Kurama and Amber-Ember to help with training the three, though Jin, Toya, and Yusuke had all elected to sit on the benches and watch. Hiei had opted out, saying he could find entertainment far more easily elsewhere. The two shinobi just seemed to like watching their prince fall over his feet in an attempt to be coordinated, though she thought Jin was sending Momo flirtatious looks.

Perhaps because she'd lived there the longest, Momo was the first to roll onto her side, then slowly push herself up. Kimiko watched her with some concern; while she had planted he heart seed of her tree somewhere outside of the palace, the tree apparition looked ill. Given that Momo was the heart seed given a body, the way she continued to list and look less than fit was worrying. But at the same time, she couldn't force Momo to show her where the seed was planted; Momo had earned that bit of privacy.

Maybe if she asked Kurama to talk to Momo about it... plants really were his specialty more than her own.

Koenma and Botan both got up around the same time, with identical groans that had Kimiko stifling a giggle; both Reikai denizens were probably on their third or fourth sets of regretful thoughts, but she had to give them credit for not trying to get out of what was necessary. And in Makai, self-defense was very necessary; the fact that Momo had gotten away with not learning how for so long was really on everyone at Tourin who had just humored the apparition instead of insisting.

"Okay, first stance."

The three slid into it, with... varying degrees of success. Kimiko and Kurama adjusted them with light touch and firm words, walking them through some easy exercises meant to limber up the body before getting into the actual practice.

Once she got into it, Botan seemed to be enjoying herself, though she was maybe a bit too enthusiastic on the attack. In contrast, Momo was the most reluctant, flinching away; Kimiko wasn't entirely sure how she was going to ground her in even basic defense if she pulled away from every blow. Though perhaps that was as much her reaction from planting her heart seed as it was being required to train.

Koenma flinched too, but his reticence came more from inexperience, and also the desire to not get hit. Some of that had to come from the omnipresent pacifier, and after watching Kurama leading Koenma through the practice blocks, she found she had to ask.

"Why a pacifier?"

Koenma blinked at her, almost failing to block a blow in the process.

"Pay attention to what I'm doing, not what she's doing," Kurama chided mildly.

"But she asked a question..."

"Yes, and you can answer without taking your eyes off your opponent."

She snickered a little at Koenma's expression.

"It's not just a pacifier," he responded after properly blocking another blow. "It's called a mafukan. I store my energy into it, and through it, I can... use several spells that I wouldn't be able to cast on my o-wwww!"

He stumbled back from Kurama, breaking stance and rubbing his arm. Kurama looked unsympathetic, though he didn't try to press the attack.

"Sounds useful," Kimiko said. "Though not necessarily sensible. You're in Makai, you're going to need as much energy as you can to protect yourself. Storing it up for one big bang is only useful if you're suicidal. Come on, get back into stance, you're not done yet."

He grumbled a little, but did so, and Kurama renewed the practice pattern. Kimiko turned to check on how Amber, Momo, and Botan were doing, and smiled wryly to see that Amber had taken some pity on Momo, choosing to partner with Botan herself. Momo was watching, but her expression was uneasy at best, and only grew worse when Kimiko approached.

"You can't just watch," Kimiko pointed out calmly. "You need to learn this too. C'mon, attack me."

"I'm dead," Koenma complained, flopping down onto the library with a pained groan.

"Drama prince," Kimiko replied, moving past him with a few books. "It'll be good for you in the end and you know it."

"Three hours in the morning and three in the afternoon?" he asked, lifting his head to give her a skeptical look.

"It'll also fill your time. It's not like you're alone; both Momo and Botan have to commit to it, and so do Amber, Kurama, and I."

"Can we kick out the observers?"

She grinned at his whine.

"No. Yusuke's a terrible teacher, but he can spot where we need to make adjustments. I'd like to get Jin and Toya both involved eventually, just to see what they can do. Plus, it'll be good for you to know what your own guards can do whenever you eventually leave."

Koenma was quiet for a minute, feeling the ache in every muscle. Hands, feet, ribs, there wasn't a part of his body that didn't hurt from the exertion he was suffering through. It would have been so much easier to drop the adult facade, to just stay a toddler, but he doubted she'd be easier on him in that form.

"You think I'll leave?" he finally asked.

"Please," she snorted a little, and passed him a book. "A stalemate can't last forever. You need to figure out what you want to do with the information we got, and how to do it. Can you stand the idea of King Enma brainwashing people to use against humans in a bid to sanction war between Reikai and Makai? Because I certainly can't."

"But... what can be done about it?"

"One of the first times Yuu and I talked, back before I was free, he was telling me about how King Enma was still putting down rebellion in Reikai," she replied. "That powerbase might have been fractionally more stable recently, but I think what happened will tip it, whether he wants to acknowledge it or not. What's needed is to find out just who will support you in place of your father and his cronies."

He stared at her in surprise. After a moment, she smiled thinly.

"I think we have six months to a year before King Enma decides that you've been 'prisoner' long enough. At which point you'll probably either be declared lost, or he'll have convinced people that you were brainwashed. How, I have no idea, but I can see that happening."

"You've been... thinking about it?"

"I'm the last person who wants to sit and wait for dangerous things to happen; I had enough of that when I was locked in a tower," and her eyes narrowed slightly. "You haven't?"

"No, no, I have," he said hastily, half-hiding behind the book she'd given him. "I just... didn't think you... anyone here would..."

Familiar amused exasperation filled Kimiko's expression and she reached over to lightly swat the top of his head.

"You're a dummy. Friends help one another. Even with overthrowing their own family."

The absurdity of it made him laugh, and she grinned a little.

"I'm not going to claim to be any kind of expert, no more than Yuu, or even Father. But between us, between this library, and even Father's friends, we can have a good core group for at least trying to plan out what could come in the future," she continued practically. "Botan's ability to travel undetected between worlds will help too; she's already volunteered to be the message runner for getting in touch with the various apparitions who're chafing under the 'benevolent' dictatorship of Enma. We're not going to do anything but plan for at least a month, but we're not going to hang you out to dry, Koenma."

"I... thank you..."

She smiled at him. Then smirked.

"And of course, none of this means you're getting out of training~"

Koenma groaned and decided that maybe reading the book was more comforting than talking to his friend. He was going to have to think unsettling thoughts no matter what, but first, he wanted a chance to recover.

"Do you think he's going to actually go through with anything?"

Kimiko glanced over at her brother, who was randomly juggling some of the jade carvings he'd plucked from her shelves.

"He might," she allowed, trying not to overtly track the carvings. "Koenma's not used to standing up for himself. He's got a backbone in there somewhere, he just needs reason to find it. Plus, we already knew he was unnerved by his father as much as he respected him."

Yusuke snorted his opinion of that, but Kimiko, having actually met King Enma, was more sympathetic to Koenma's point of view. A being that size wasn't someone you annoyed unduly, regardless of how much or little physical power he actually had.

"So what're we gonna do?"

"Train him, of course," and she grinned as Yusuke snickered. "But also give him some time to think. He can decide on some things if he's got the time and the space. I'm going to leave Amber assigned to him too; he's already agreed, and gotten them to agree, that we can make greater use of Jin and Toya than he could at the moment."

"Aw, hell yeah. Swiping two shinobi out from under ol Ape Face is gonna be perfect!"

"Don't get your hopes too high. I want them to keep an eye on Momo more than I want them to train with us."

Yusuke blinked at her, catching the carvings and putting them back on their shelves, much to her silent relief.

"Why, what's up with her now?"

"Yuu, it's only been a week. I don't know what's wrong. It's just... a feeling. So I asked Kurama to look into it, since his specialty is plants. If he can sound out the problem, maybe we can keep her from getting worse before she gets better."

He grumbled a little, leaning against the shelves.

"Still don't see why you're bein so nice."

"Let me put it this way; just because you can move around doesn't mean you're free."

He grimaced a little, and changed the subject.

"What'd Kurama think of your surprise?"

Kimiko smiled wryly.

"He was certainly caught off-balance by it. It was kind of funny. I think he'll accept, but not right away. What he does with the holding is his choice, though," and she shrugged a little. "I'm pretty sure he's not actually going to raise any sort of rebellion."

"Not like us?"

She grinned, and half-shrugged.

"Can we really call it a rebellion when it's not our land?"

"Well, if we're gonna organize on behalf of pacifier breath, what would you call it?"

"I'm pretty sure we'd be an invading force. The bulk of it will have to come from Reikai, and rally around Koenma or we're just going to be doing what King Enma wanted to do to us," she pointed out. "With more success, of course."

Yusuke snickered a little, shaking his head. Kimiko only shrugged with a light, rueful smile.

"Either way, all we're doing right now is planning, and making resources available for when Koenma finally figures out what he wants to do. And there's not too much of a rush on it; at worst we've probably got six months before King Enma decides he's a lost cause. He's not like Father or you, too impatient to wait and see."

He responded by sticking out his tongue, an she returned the favor. Maturity was not always high on their level of interactions, after all. Still,it was nice to have her library to herself again once he decided he's bothered her enough, and she spent a few minutes just enjoying the chance to have a moment to herself.

It wouldn't last very long, after all.

She had just enough time to finish straightening everything the Yusuke had placed so haphazardly—she liked having things in familiar places—before a polite tapping came at the door to her rooms. Kimiko jumped a little, and tried not to swear as she jostled a few books into falling over on their shelf.

She could do this. She wasn't asking for... for sex. Wasn't sure they were at a point for that. But...

Kimiko stepped out of the library, and went to welcome Kurama into her rooms. It surprised her to see that he'd arrived with a tray of Nippon-based tea, and a few sweets, and she wondered if maybe he was nervous about the reason she'd asked him to come.

No, that was nonsense.

Wasn't it?

It seemed almost funny to go back to worrying about how she felt after spending time working on how to potentially raise an army... but comforting too. So as Kurama stepped past her with the tray, she quietly closed the door behind and followed him over to her couch.

"Business first?" she suggested when he handed her a small cup of green tea.

"Isn't all of it?" he asked with a faint smile.

"Less personal business first, then," she huffed, lightly nudging him with her foot. "Smartass."

He chuckled a little, and picked up his own tea, taking a sip as she resettled.

"Momo is not sure, but she thinks her heart seed may not be taking well to Makai soil. She half-expected it, but she was hoping that she would be wrong. After promising to not reveal the planting location, she allowed me to accompany her to check on the sprouting sapling..." he sighed a little. "Frankly, I believe she's correct. We may need to send her to Ningenkai to plant her tree securely over there instead."

"Not alone. She'd be way too vulnerable. I'll ask Koenma if she can borrow Jin and Toya. They seem to like her, and can probably handle anything that tries to eat them."

"Is that a concern?"

Kimiko shrugged lightly, frowning a little.

"Probably. At this point we don't know if what's going on here is going to backlash into Ningenkai, and I'd rather we be safe. Momo doesn't want anyone to know where her tree will be hidden, and I respect that, since it's what was used against her. But I don't want her to be entirely alone. I have... a good feeling about those two as well; they could have dropped you two at the portal and returned to the palace, but they didn't. They decided to follow Koenma instead of his father."

"And that means quite a bit. Especially right now," he replied with a small nod of understanding.

"Mmhm. I'll talk to To'o in the morning about arranging a portal for them so that she can plant the tree without worry from us. Probably better to get this done before things get worse."

Kurama smiled a little, and leaned in to lightly smooth some of her hair out of her face.

"I am sure she will enjoy not having to train so hard for a few days."

She laughed a little, and lightly shrugged.

"Botan seems to like it. I think she's really got the talent to make herself pretty dangerous. Koenma might whine, but in the end, it'll be good for him too. I mean... they're both going to end up back in Reikai anyways, but there's no point in wasting what chance we've got, right?"

"And perhaps getting some subtle revenge?"

Kimiko gave him her best innocent look, which got her a laugh.

Talk turned lighter, and she moved closer to him as they compared opinions on what might work better for Botan against how to train Koenma, what books Koenma should read to help him come to the necessary decision, and eventually segued into what sorts of things Kimiko actually spent her limited free time on.

Kurama knew she was working her way around to the real reason she'd wanted him to come at this hour, but he didn't mind listening to her talk. She was so animated that just watching her was an experience all itself, and she was an adept weaver of words.

Eventually though, her words ran out; with her head snugged up against his shoulder, his arm draped around her, they shared a comfortable silence that he was reluctant to break. But when he caught her dozing, he shook her gently.

"Perhaps you ought to go to bed," he said gently when she had straightened somewhat. "You are not fully recovered, and it has been a long day, quite full of work."

"Ah..."

She looked up at him. Looked away. Color passed over her cheeks, and he tried not to assume. It was rude, and she was in no shape for even the gentlest of seductions. Plus, having permission to be in her room was not the same as permission to share her bed, and after what had happened, he was quite sure that Raizen would try to feed him his own liver.

"I want you to stay," she finally said. "But..."

"But?" he coaxed gently.

"I don't... not physical. Not...not tonight. Maybe not for a while. Is that okay?"

The words were a bit disjointed, but after a moment he thought he parsed the meaning. Still, better, safer to ask. She still needed the clarity, and he was willing to grant it to her.

"You want to curl up together, but nothing more than that?"

She flushed a little and nodded, looking down at her knees. Was she braced for rejection? After a moment he lightly traced his fingers along her cheek, until he could nudge her into looking up at him. There was no hiding the desire, but there was nothing... demanding about it. She really did just want to curl up and snuggle.

Something about that was just... precious. So he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"I would like that. Is it allowed?"

She half-smiled, a little uncertainly.

"Well, I did tell Father that you were allowed in my rooms. I'll remind him in the morning, and... reassure him too."

He nodded slightly, and tucked some of her hair behind her ear again.

"I would be glad to remain with you," he said softly, nuzzling her lightly. "In whatever capacity makes you most comfortable."

He caught the shy smile before it was interrupted by a yawn, and couldn't help but smile himself; she really was just too cute.

"So come. You need to sleep. Even if we send Momo off in the morning, we still have Botan and Koenma to help, and that will be better facilitated by you having more rest."

She made a face a him, then yawned slightly again.

"Oh, all right... Bedtime it is." Then she hesitated. "Kurama?"

"Mmm?"

"...could I have a kiss first?"

He blinked, briefly surprised, then smiled and leaned in to give her a gentle kiss.