Chapter 14

The Love Plant

RECAP:

He knew exactly what was wrong with her. After what seemed like an eternity, he slowly let the light dissipate. The fox sat up slowly, suddenly cold from the sudden disappearance of the glow. "What is it?" Youka asked when she had seen the man's troubled face.

"I know exactly what is wrong with you..."

Third Person POV:

Kurama felt a surge of hope ran through her system. If he knew what was wrong then there had to be a cure. Didn't there? "What is it?"

The shaman fell back into the chair that he had placed behind him. "Examining people always left him feeling a bit... sleepy. "It's very simple. You did not ingest the plant of Dreams and Desires."

Kurama felt her stomach clench. SHe was an expert, and never made such foolish mistakes. After all, there was no way that she could have been such an idiot, was there? "What do you mean? What plant did I ingest?"

"The Love plant, even more rare then the Plant od Dreams and Desires."

"But how? I followed all of the steps. I did everything perfectly."

"You did," the old man nodded. "But the plant that you used was not the plant of dreams and desires."

Kurama felt as though someone had punched her in the stomach. She was not an idiot by any means. How could she have done something so... foolish? "What?"

"It's quite simple really. Your mental desire was to remain as you were. However, your heart desired love. And as you know the tuest desires originate from the heart."

"What do you mean? My heart's desires. What does my heart desire?"

The shaman smiled slightly, trying to cushion the blow that wsa sure to stun the young chid. "Well little fox, it would seem that you are in love."

Love? The 'little fox' was reeling. She could not be in lovce. She felt nothing of the sort for any of the men that she had come into contact with. Love? There had to be some sort of mistake. Her mentor had to be wrong.

Touya, on the other hand, was very unsurprised. As far as she was concerned, this may actually act to better the fox.

By this time, Kurama had regained her usual sense of composure. She was calm and ready to face whatever may come. At this point, she was prepared to do whatever she had to in orderto go back to who she had been. Namely, the strong and masucline Youko Kurama. "Is there a cure?"

At this, the shaman looked away. THis was the part that he had been dreading. Explaining the cure. "To put it simply, you must find your true love, get him to love you, and then you must break his heart. THat is the only way to break the control that the plant has over you. Once the control is broken, then the plant is reduced to the form of the plant of Dreams and Desires. At that point, then it would be up to you to choose what genter you want to be... permanently."

Permanenly. All solutions had been temporary befre this. Perhaps this was really a blessing in disguise. "How can I find this 'supposed true love?"

Touya snickered from her corner of the room. "You only have to looke to the forest to find Hiei."

A slight blush rushed to the fox's face. "You are mistaken." She turned away. "Shaman, how do I find him?"

He reached into his robe, pulling out a white rose. "This love rose will glow and change to red when you are in the prescence of your true love." He paused. "You make like to konw that while I was examinig you,l I caught a glimpse of something. It wsa a black dragon made of smoke. It's eyes. They were a piercing red that seemed to stare through me with malice."

"Hiei," the ice demon repeated with assurity. At the Dark Tournament, he had felt the same way. THe small man, so full of hatred and scorn towards all.

"No," the fox stated.

The older man felt so much like he was watching children. "Enough! Use the rose and find him."

The fox nodded her head. She was prepared to do whatever it took at this point. "Do I have a time limitation on this?"

"No. Though for your own peace of mind, I would suggest aht you do so as quickly as possible." he paused, smiling slightly. "I must leave for now, but I plan on coming back soon. Here." He pulled a large vial and an envelope from his pocket.

"This vial holds a six month supply of a potion that will make you appear and even smell as the old Kurama. take it once a day, but he warned that it will not work while you are asleep. And the second envelope holds a tracker seed. If you need me before I come back, then you know how to get in touch with me."

"Yes Shaman. I will." The man smiled sown at his daugther. He ruffled her hair and departed through the door.

"So... you have to find your true love..." Touya trailed off, smirking slightly.

"Ungh," she groaned. "I don't even beleive in true love."

"Regardless. You have to find it." She paused for a moment. "So, I take it you'll be visiting Hiei soon." And she barely dodged the pillow that was aimed for her head.

"Hiei is one of my closest friends."

"And Jin was mine," she countered. "So, when do you want to start searching for your soulmate."

"Tomorrow," the fox yawned. "Tomorrow."

Touya felt concern but in her ches.t Ever since the transformation, Kurama had tired so easily. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Just tired. Comes with the Shaman's examination." she yawned again. "Though before I sleep, I want to know if you'll help me."

The ice master smiled at her friend. "As if you could get rid of me that easily."

"Can Jin manage to spare you?"

"That depends, can Hiei manage without you?"

"Cute."

"Thank you."

Touya left the room to prepare some sort of meal. Meanwhile, Kurama laid in bed thinking about love. She had never believed in it, and no she was forced to try to find a man. To find him and make him love her. She sat and tried to imagine any man who had caught her fancy, and came up blank. There was no one.

She sighed deeply, and changed her train of thought. She needed to seduce a man and think of the best way to break his heart. Charming.

A/n:

Whoo-hoo! Chapter 14! I hope that it was good and I hope that you guys really enjoyed it. It's getting interesting, and hopefully it'll stay that way.

Keep reading and I'll keep writing. Oh and remember to review. Flames are welcome. They're what keep me warm and toasty at night. ;) .

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Yours truly, madly, and deeply,

Einstinette