[A/N: Sorry for the late update! I was at Colossalcon this weekend so I didn't have the opportunity to update, but here you go! Additionally, I have to announce that I'm going on a short hiatus. I'm running out of backlogged chapters and don't want to make you wait any longer between updates than I have to. Hopefully, it should only be about 2 or 3 week, depending on how fast I can write. I'm very nearly at the end so hopefully I can push through it. In the mean time, don't forget to review!]

Chapter Eleven: Something Wicked This Way Comes

I walked into my house that night and immediately went to the kitchen to grab something to drink. I stood at the counter and texted Gohan my newly formulated plan about going to see Dende and Piccolo between sips.

"Detective."

"Hello, Hiei," I said not bothering to look up from my phone to answer. "How was the rest of your evening?"

"Not nearly as exciting as yours from the look of that mark on your neck," he said.

"What thing on my neck? My necklace?" I asked still texting.

Hiei shook his head. "Bruise."

I frowned and put my phone down. I reached into the silverware drawer and pulled out a spoon. I held it up to my neck and looked in it's reflection. Sure enough there was a decently sized hickey on my neck.

"I am going to kill him," I said.

"Don't worry about it. It goes nicely with the unkempt hair," Hiei said.

I rolled my eyes. I finished off my drink before sitting my glass in the sink.

"Did you want something from me or can I go to bed," I said.

"Rukia Kuchiki was here," Hiei said, "a few minutes ago explaining the state of things. She said she'd just come from paying you and Kurosaki a visit."

"Yeah, her and every other Soul Reaper Ichigo's ever met," I said. "She sleeps in his closet by the way."

"What?" Hiei asked.

"Yeah. When she's here in the Living World she sleeps in his closet. She decorated it and made it into a makeshift bedroom. It's totally the weirdest thing I've ever seen in my life," I said.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" he asked.

"Obviously it does. There's a girl sleeping in my boyfriends' closet. I trust Ichigo and I'm sure Rukia's not interested, but still," I said. "That's fucking weird right?"

"If you think so," Hiei said.

"Don't you have an opinion?" I asked.

"Does my opinion really matter to you?" he asked.

"Well, yeah, I guess," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you're my friend, I mean I consider you one despite the fact that you don't," I said. "But you're a difficult man to get an opinion out of."

"It's difficult to give an opinion when you don't care," Hiei said.

". . . I think you do care a little. And I think you do have an opinion about Ichigo," I said. Hiei cocked an eyebrow at me. "It's that I've been thinking about what you told me about why you hooked up with me. Like, it makes sense that what happened between us was just some physical, lust fueled madness on your part, but excuse me if I'm having a hard time actually believing that."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because, Ichigo hasn't done anything to you except want you to stop bugging me and you're a total dick to him. And I get that he's not that nice to you either, but he's my boyfriend and he knows what happened between us so he's got every right to feel a little threatened by your presence so I can't take your side," I said. "But if you don't like me then you don't have any reason to egg him on like you do, and you didn't have any reason to do it to Trunks either. And that's what made me think."

"Think about what?" he asked.

"When you killed those demons who showed up before we went to face Sensui, and we got into that argument because I'd told the guys about what had happened at the tournament. . . And I only told you I was annoying because I cared and you said. . .. You were only mean to me because you care," I said.

"It was merely a slip of the tongue," he said.

"Well, that's just it. You don't just slip like that, Hiei. You think things through before you say them. The only time you don't use a filter is because you're saying what you really feel," I said. "So it just makes sense to me that you would you dislike Ichigo so much because-."

"Because what, Detective? Because I'm jealous? Don't flatter yourself. I already gave you your answer," he said. "Choose not to believe it if you want, but don't go dreaming up imaginary scenarios to make yourself feel better."

"I'm not imagining anything and you're not being truthful," I said.

"And what difference would it make if I wasn't? If you're so happy with your Shinigami what does it matter," Hiei said. "I figured you'd want to leave the past in the past. . . Unless. . ."

"Unless what?" I asked.

"Unless it isn't in the past," he said.

"You're an idiot," I said.

"Or maybe I'm right and that's what's put you in such a bad mood," he said.

"Do you honestly think that I would still like you after you blew me off?" I asked.

"It's like you humans say, if you eliminate the impossible whatever remains, however improbable, must be true," Hiei said. "But I don't find it all that improbable."

888

"You look absolutely exhausted Kairi Son."

I was washing my hands in the bathroom when Chizuru walked in, water bottle in hand.

I was exhausted. I'd been running my conversation with Hiei through my head most of the night, and when I was stressing myself out over that, the thought of the world ending was also bothering me. It was like Sensui all over again.

"I'll be fine," I said to Chizuru dismissively.

"What's been keeping you up?" she asked, rinsing her water bottle out.

Armageddon.

"Up late with Ichigo?" she asked pointing to my neck.

"What?" I asked cupping my hand over the spot on my neck where my hickey had been. Chizuru laughed and moved my hand away.

"I was talking about your necklace. I didn't even see your little love bite until you pointed it out," she said. "Obviously you were busy last night."

"Not that busy," I said.

"Your hickey says other wise," Chizuru said. "But I like your necklace. Why'd he give it to you?"

". . . Just because," I said.

"Jeez, it's so weird to hear you talk about Ichigo like that. He's always so serious and he can be kind of an ass sometimes," Chizuru said. "But you're all like 'he gave me this necklace just because and he's perfect.'"

I chuckled. "Whatever."

Chizuru glanced down the sinks to two girls who were looking down at us and whispering.

"Can we help you with something?" I asked.

The girls stopped whispering and walked out of the bathroom.

"You'd think people would find more interesting things to talk about than you and Ichigo," Chizuru said.

"People talk about us?" I asked.

"All the time. I mean, you have a reputation for being a horrible human being and a moron, whereas Ichigo is neither horrible nor a moron," Chizuru said. "Plus Ichigo's adorable and bitches be jealous. That and lots of people hate you."

"Thanks for the explanation," I said.

We walked out of the bathroom and bumped right into Orihime, Yukina, and Ichigo.

"I know you're a giant, Ichigo, but try to keep from stepping on us little people," Chizuru said.

". . . I'm assuming you were in the bathroom with Chizuru for some perfectly innocent reason," Ichigo said.

"Nope. Chizuru's my secret lover," I said putting my arm around her.

". . . Secret lover?" Yukina asked.

"Awe, you don't know what a secret lover is, Yukina?" Chizuru asked. Yukina shook her head. "How cute! What else don't you know?"

Yukina pondered for a moment. "Oh, last night Ichigo sent Kairi a text message asking her to come over and watch a movie, but our friend Yusuke took her phone and looked at it and said that it was a booty call and they wouldn't tell me what it meant."

Chizuru laughed. "I love her. She's like a Martian." I shook my head. "Anyway, judging by the little love bite on Kairi's neck, I think your friend was right."

"Chizuru," I started to protest. She wagged her finger at me.

"Kairi and Ichigo have been very naughty," she went on. "Come on, Yukina, I'm going to corrupt you lots today."

"Just keep your hands to yourself," I warned her. Chizuru winked before skipping off with Yukina.

"Remind me to tell Yukina that even if we're not talking about anything to do with Spirit World she probably shouldn't repeat anything my friends say back to anyone," I said.

"Don't worry I will," Ichigo said. "I wonder how long it's going to take Chizuru to go running her mouth off to everyone."

"The whole class probably knows already," Orihime said.

"You're right," I said.

"You notice how weird everyone is being today," Orihime said. "Apparently a bunch of. New students just enrolled."

"Tch. And they're probably in our class. We always get the new kids," Ichigo said.

"I'm sorry you find me and Yukina to be such inconveniences," I said. "You still like me, right, Orihime?"

"You bet," She replied.

We got to the classroom and Ichigo pulled the door open. He stood staring into the classroom for a moment before closing the door and walking away.

"Nope," he said.

"What?" Orihime asked.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm going to take the Nope Train to Fuck-Itville," he said as he walked out of earshot.

"Do you think I've had a bad influence on him, vocabulary wise?" I asked.

"You could stand to swear a little less," Orihime said honestly.

"I thought you might say that," I said. We pulled the classroom door open and could tell immediately why Ichigo had left.

Our new classmates were Renji, Rukia, Toshiro, and Rangiku.

I sighed. This was going to be a long day.

888

"We got Soifon, Yumichika, Ikkaku and Yachiru," Yusuke whined. It was math class and I was hiding in the bathroom in a stall to discuss things with Yusuke.

"Sounds fun," I said.

"I'll say. Yachiru keeps calling herself 'the girl Lolita' because she looks seven," Yusuke said.

"Creepy," I said.

"It gets better—Ikkau's been carrying around a wooden sword and keeps screaming at anyone who questions him about it. Yumichika totally went to town on Mister Iwamoto and used some pretty fancy words to tell him he was ugly and Soifon. . . Well she's hot but also unpleasant and loud and mean and does not like to be complimented on her boobs apparently," Yusuke said.

"For future reference most girls don't like that," I said.

"Basically, this is the worst undercover operation I've seen in my life. We could do a better job than this."

The bathroom door opened and I shushed Yusuke so I could remain hidden as two girls walked into the bathroom.

"Did you see those new kids in class 2A?"

"How could you miss them? Honestly, that class is so full of weirdos now. Ever since they let Kairi Son in they really have just let anyone in here."

"I like that Yukina girl but I don't know how Kairi is related to Shuichi."

"I wanna know how on Earth she ended up dating Ichigo Kurosaki. He should totally know better."

"I heard from Chizuru that she's totally got a giant hickey on her neck."

"A giant hickey?" Yusuke asked.

I covered the mouth piece on my phone to keep Yusuke from

"That's so gross."

"I bet it's not even from Ichigo. I heard from one of my friends at Sariyaski that she used to hook up with Urameshi. I bet she still does."

I resisted the urge to vomit as the girls walked out the bathroom.

"Yusuke, can I ask you question," I said.

"What?"

"People actually know you're dating Keiko, right?" I asked.

"No one believe us," Yusuke said. "But yeah. I'm pretty obvious about it."

"So where on Earth would any at Sariyaski get the idea that we used to hook up?" I asked.

"Oh, everyone thinks that Kairi," Yusuke said.

"What?!"

"Yeah. That's why no one believes me about Keiko and why everyone thought that you wouldn't go out with Trunks," he said.

"And you never told me?" I asked.

"It wasn't important. It was stupid. I mean the whole idea of it makes me want to puke because let's face it Kairi, that's as close to incest as you can get without it actually being incest, but they're all idiots at this stupid school," Yusuke said.

I sighed. "I guess you're right. I'll just let it go."

"Good," Yusuke said. "Uh oh, there's a lot of shouting outside. . . I think Ikkaku might be beating someone with the sword. I'd better go intervene. Or help."

"Use good judgment," I said. I hung up the phone and walked out the stall and back into the hallway. Instead of going to class, I walked up to the roof. The Soul Reapers had been right. There was absolutely no Spiritual activity going on in the city. It felt eerily normal, which was enough to set me on edge.

"Shouldn't you be in class?"

I looked back to see that Rukia had joined me.

"I don't want to be in class right now. I want to know what's going on," I said.

"We all do," she said.

"And I know something bad is coming," I said. "Everyone knows that factually something bad is coming, but I can feel it."

"Is it because you can see the future?" Rukia asked. "Did you see something?"

"No, I didn't seen anything, but I usually don't. Usually I just get a feeling. A bad feeling. And sometimes the feeling is worse," I said. "Still, I don't think I can stay here."

"Where are you going to go?" Rukia asked.

"To see my grandfather. I know he knows something, he's just not saying," I said.

". . . Can I ask you something, seriously," Rukia said. I nodded. "You said your grandfather has the same precognitive abilities as you, correct?"

"Yep," I said.

"And from what I've been told you always predict everything with one hundred percent accuracy," Rukia said. I nodded. "If his precognitive abilities work the same way as yours, if he has seen something what would you even be able to do?"

"You mean because I can't change what I see?" I asked. She nodded. "I'm going to try anyway, like I always do. I always have to try."

Rukia gave me a nod as I stretched upward.

"Maybe I should go back to class. Things aren't dire enough at the moment to risk incurring my mother's anger for skipping school." My mother was pretty unsympathetic about the whole saving the world deal when it interfered with education. My grandfather would be there after school got out. I could wait a few hours.

"Additionally, I doubt Ichigo would appreciate me bailing on him," I said. Though I felt he deserved it after putting that hickey on my neck to be honest.

". . . Are you happy with Ichigo?" she asked.

I looked over at her. "Of course I am."

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you decide to go out with Ichigo?"

I paused as I thought this over. "I didn't plan on it initially. When I found out he was interested I was mostly opposed to the idea. He's such a sweet guy. I didn't want to ruin him with terribleness. But I went out with him and I really, really liked how sweet he was. I know that I can be awful sometimes. And when I was dating Trunks I was a terrible girlfriend. But Ichigo is just makes me want to be better. He makes me feel like I can be better. Sometimes, most of the time, I feel like I don't deserve him. But he doesn't care that I have issues. He just. . . He likes me flaws and all."

Rukia smiled at me. "I'm glad to hear that. You deserve to be happy and so does Ichigo."

"Thanks," I said. "I hope I make him happy anyway. He says I do, but I'm still used to people just being annoyed by me."

"You'd know if he didn't like you. He lets the rest of us know with no trouble," Rukia said.

I chuckled. "You're probably me of his best friends, Rukia. Otherwise he would never put up with you turning his closet into a bunny sanctuary. And he only ever says good things about you even if he pretends to be irritated when you're with him. Maybe he does find you irritating, but he'd miss you if you weren't around to bother him."

Rukia smiled at me. "You know him very well."

I shrugged. "There's always more to learn about people, especially the one's you cave about."

888

I went back to Kurama's house to change my clothes after school before going to visit Capsule Corp. to interrogate my formerly dead grandfather. After I was properly dressed in my usual out of school orange and blue ensemble, Hiei knocked on my door.

"Yes?" I asked as he peeked inside. I was still annoyed with him. His insinuation that I still had feelings for him was out of line, and even worse it was bothering me.

"You have a visitor," he said flatly. Clearly he was just as thrilled about my existence as I was about his.

"Who?" I asked. But Hiei had already dosed the door. Maybe he was more fed up with me than I thought.

I walked downstairs to the living room and was surprised to find Bardock there with Kurama and Hiei.

"You were expecting me?" Bardock asked.

"How'd you know?" I asked him.

He chuckled. "Clearly that Gohan is the brains of this family, eh? What happened to the rest of you?"

I frowned. "I can only predict when bad things are going to happen so I just assumed the same was true for you."

"I see a lot of things, kid. And ain't none of it ever led to any good," he replied. "So what did you want? To ask me what I saw? Is that what?"

"Yes," I said.

"You already know how this works, Kairi. It's not going to make any difference if you have details." My grandfather was turning out to be a stubborn jackass.

"At least we would know what were up against," Kurama pointed out.

"So you want to know what it is you're not going to be able to stop, is that it?" he asked.

"We have to try. It's what we do after all. Like Kuwabara says 'destiny breaking's our specialty.' Besides, my dad, your son, taught me not to give up. I'm betting you didn't once you found out Frieza was going to blowup Vegeta did you?" I pointed out.

"So how long have you been trying to stop your little predictions from happening? From the beginning? And how has that worked out for you so far, destiny breaker?" he asked. Not only was he an ass, he was a cynic too. That was just what I needed. "Listen, Kairi, do you know what the definition of insanity is?"

"Enlighten me, please," I said.

"It's doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Sounds familiar?" he asked. I scoffed.

"If you think you're the first person to call me insane, you're sadly mistaken. And you won't be the last because if it means trying to save my friends and family and this planet, I'd say it's worth it," I said. "So, I think it's about time you started talking."

Bardock stared at me for a long moment. "That feeling, you know the one. Where you know something bad is coming but you don't know what? I bet that's what you're feeling right now. And you're right. Something is coming and you can't stop it. And a few hours from now almost everyone in this room is gonna be having a damn miserable day. That's what I saw. So start making your peace with that."

A damn miserable day could mean anything, but I had a tendency to only predict worst case scenarios. I could only assume I was about to deal with a worst case scenario type problem.

"That still doesn't tell us what you saw," Hiei interjected.

"And telling you isn't going to help you any," Bardock replied. "Truthfully, I don't know who or what's causing your problems, I only know you're about to have some."

"You're so unhelpful," I said.

"Trust me. It wouldn't make a difference if you knew. It might just be worse when it finally does happen. That's the worst thing about it, isn't it? Knowing and not being able to do anything about it. That's why it's a curse," Bardock said. "I'll be around, to help clean up the mess for you, kid. There's nothing else I can do for you." I continued to glare at him as he rose to his feet. "Better get going before the party starts. You should prepare yourself. All of you." He started making his way to the front door He paused and turned around tome. "By, the way, Kairi, feel free to prove me wrong."

"Gladly," I said as he opened the door and walked out.

"My, he seems pleasant," Hiei said. I rolled my eyes.

"He's no worse than you, Team Cynic. You should start a club together. I bet you'll get along great." I plopped down on the couch next to Hiei and let out a sigh. "What's worse is that he's right. Knowing is worse. And I already feel something bad coming. Knowing sucks, but I'm anxious not knowing and I don't know what's wrong with me."

"You're insane, Detective. That's what's wrong with you. We just had this discussion," Hiei said.

"Stop being a jackass," I said. "Can't you say anything nice? Or useful? Or helpful? Or constructive?"

"Can't you stop arguing with each other? It's all you've done since he got back," Kurama said.

"It's only because he's an asshole," I said crossing my arms.

"He's always an asshole. Deal with it, Kairi. Hiei, stop bating her," Kurama said. He walked to the kitchen.

I looked over to Hiei and frowned. "You upset me so."

"Likewise," he said. "What are you expecting?"

"Hellfire to rain from the sky," I said. "That's not too farfetched."

"Not for you," he said.

"I'm glad you agree," I said. I sighed. "I wish my life weren't so stressful."

"Very wishful thinking," Hiei said.

"I know," I said. "Sorry, I'm being so unpleasant lately. Mostly to you. I don't know why. I'm being worse to you than I was before. I mean, back when I first met you. The last time I was being awful to you. Like actively mean to you simply because you existed. Maybe it's because, you know, like that saying: hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

"And you're a woman scorned?" he asked. I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"What would you call it?" I asked. "You did everything short of 'hit it and quit it'."

"What does that even mean?" Hiei asked.

"Come on. That has to translate into something for you demons. There have to be some ladies in Demon World who are into long term type relationships. You follow me now?" I asked.

"Sure," he said. "But I haven't met any."

I chuckled. "You must have scorned a lot of women, Hiei. I can't be the first notch in your proverbial bedpost."

"Could you tell?" he asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Hiei, wielder of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and lady killer. Good to know," I said. "You just keep finding ways to make me feel good about myself."

"I recall you felt good about it at the time," he said. "In more ways than one."

"It must be wonderful to be so confident in your sexual prowess. What if I was faking?" I asked.

"Let's be realistic, Detective," Hiei said. Then he scoffed. "Faking."

"I might've been," I said.

"That's the most unconvincing lie I've ever heard. Better luck next time," he teased.

I frowned at him. "You could give me a little credit."

"I give myself too much to even consider that," he said.

"Wow, Hiei, how did I ever let you get away?" I asked, rolling my eyes at him once more. "You know, Ichigo-."

"I don't care," Hiei interrupted me. "You keep talking about him and I thought the decent thing to do would be to tell you that I do not care at all about anything you have to say about him."

"Blunt," I said. "You still haven't told me why you don't like him, since you're not jealous or anything."

"I don't have to have a reason," he said.

I laid my head back on the couch. "I will get an answer out of you. Later though. After we avert another apocalypse. Do you have any idea what time what time it is?"

"Just after four," Hiei said.

That sent up a little red flag for me. "Hey, cousin of mine," I called out.

"Yes?" he asked leaning out from the kitchen.

"Shouldn't Yusuke and Kuwabara be here by now?" I asked.

Kurama looked down to his watch. "Hmm, you're right. You should call them. Make sure everything's okay."

Just as I reached for my phone the front door opened and a rather amused looking Yusuke walked in.

"There you are. We were starting to worry," Kurama said.

"Kuwabara got into it with Ikkaku. I was trying to break it up—definitely not instigating, when Kuwabara ripped his pants. I hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. Ikkaku had tears in his eyes. It was a beautiful moment. But anyway, Kuwabara said he's not coming which is really too bad because I still have Spongebob jokes to make."

"How exciting," I said.

"Anyway, that's why I'm late. I would've been even later because Keiko wanted me to walk her all the way to your school to see Yukina at kendo practice, but once that altercation broke out she decided to just go herself," Yusuke explained. "But after I finished laughing at Kuwabara I called her and told her that the world's ending and that she shouldn't be walking anywhere by herself—but she was already there by then so she just told me to shut up and hung up one me."

"Sounds like Keiko," I said.

"And you, Kairi, where's your boyfriend?" Yusuke asked.

"Here in West City," I said. "When the bubble pops they think it'll pop here."