A/N: Hey! Only a few more chapters, peeps! Almost there!

Chapter 21: Snakes and a man-to-man talk

Kira took a deep breath of the night air, allowing it to clear her head and wash away her worries. Not that she wasn't still pissed off at Kurama, but she wasn't ready to maime him, either. She simple wanted to make sure he never had any children, ever.

While she reflecting on these things, she failed to notice the figure creeping through the shadows behind her. Her eyes rolled back in her head as a chloroform cloth was placed quickly over her mouth and nose. She promptly passed out and was easily tossed over her attackers shoulder. The dark figure leaped off te balcony and through the darkness, pausing only to listen for sounds of pusuit. Hearing none, he blended easily for tree to tree in moonless night.

Kira awoke sometime later with a groan. Her head pounded like some demented loser had been locked inside and was trying to drill his way out through her forehead with a very dull object. Suffice to say it hurt like hell.

Before she even opened her eyes, she took in her surroundings, not wanting to make her situation worse. Her hands were bound above her head by a coarse rope, and her knees were rather uncomfortable, as she had been kneeling on cold stone flooring for some time. The room had to be small, since her own breathing echoed back to her... wait... that was not her own breathing. Her own had caught when she heard a hiss.

She opened her eyes to see herself on a platform completely surrounded by some kind of cobras. One raised himself up and bared his fangs at her. It was only then that she realized that they were demonic, as red and gold eyes peered at her out of the shadowy corners. She saw glimpses of dark green scales in the minimal light of the single torch on the wall. She looked down when she felt her satin dress rub her thigh in her restless shiftings. Her red dress took on a bloody hue in the half-dark.

After what seemed like hours, she heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside her cell. When the door creaked open, more light spilled in and temporarily blinded her. In her brief glimpse around the room, she noticed the room was surprisingly well kept for having lots of snakes. Then the door slammed shut.

Yusuke watched in amusement as Kira stomped away from Kurama, who was holding his tender foot. He half-limped, half-walked over to the nearest table and sat down. He had one of Murkuro's servants get an ice pack and went to join him, grabbing a couple of drinks on the way. Handing one to Kurama, he settled easily back into his chair and smiled softly.

"Alright, whadya do? That looked pretty bad."

Kurama straightened, sighing, "Became ridiculously jealous over something stupid. I completely deserve the swollen foot she gave me."

Yusuke grinned teasingly, "Oh, well, if you deserve it, I'll just send the ice pack I ordered back."

Kurama smiled softly, reaching over to lightly punch Yusuke in the arm. Yusuke laughed and pretended to be hurt. When the ice came, Kurama put his foot on another chair and settled the pack over it, sitting back and sipping his drink.

They talked and laughed for a few more minutes before they sobered as Yusuke posed a more serious question.

"Shouldn't you go after her?"

Kurama sighed, "I want to give her some space. I will go see if she's still around in about another hour. If she hasn't taken off by then," he grinned ruefully.

"That would be like her. Just like it's like her to give certain bratty kitsunes swollen feet, having nothing to do with her dancing skills," Yusuke said sagely, before the effect was ruined by Kurama throwing a stalk of Maikai celery a his head. They both collapsed into laughter again.

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I'm so sorry this is short, but I've been really busy and I know if I don't get something out, I'll never finish! I'll try to update more often, but they're gonna be a lot shorter! Just keep harrassing me and I'll get on it quicker, aye?