CHAPTER 03: "The Diabolical Dog Demon"
To find out, Yusuke figured he should probably just haul off and ask, and so he did exactly that. It's not like Yusuke's the type to think things through first, after all.
"The fuck are a bunch of gaijin teenagers doing all the way out here?" he barked, eyeing them over from a distance. He didn't bother to keep his voice down. "This isn't exactly a tourist trap."
Kurama's eyes flickered his way, glittering with warning. "Quiet, Yusuke," he said under his breath—but it was too late.
As one, the group of gaijin's faces turned in unison toward Yusuke.
The blond leader guy had good instincts, at least, protectively stepping in front of the rest of his friends with an exclamation of surprise. The pretty girl with the Technicolor outfit gasped, hand flying to her glossed lips as her eyes flew wide open. Less impressively, the tall dude (squirrely lookin' motherfucker, Yusuke thought) nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw them standing there, and the dog did the same, somehow appearing to get smaller as it tried to hide behind the beanpole's legs.
The short girl with the glasses jumped, too, but she recovered quickly enough. "Jinkies!" she said, pushing her glasses up her nose with the jab of a startled finger. "Who are you three?"
"Yeah!" said the blond guy. He drew himself up and thrust out his chest, putting on the tough-guy act. "Who are you people?"
The dog seemed to shrink in on itself, though it couldn't get small enough to hide completely behind the tall dude. "Ruh-roh, Raggy!" it said—wait, it said?! But none of the gaijin looked even remotely shocked to hear a dog talk, and Yusuke (and Kuwabara, and Kurama) were the only ones who did double takes when the dog added, "Re've rot rompany!"
The group of gaijin nodded. "Let's beat it, Scoob!" said the tall one, and without another word the four teenagers and their dog hauled open the door of Onigumo Manor and dashed inside.
For a moment, no one in Yusuke's party spoke. Yusuke swallowed. Kuwabara stared openmouthed after the gaijin. Kurama pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. Eventually Yusuke lifted a single disbelieving finger and pointed at the manor's open doors.
Yusuke said, "Did that dog just…?"
"Open its mouth and talk?" said Kuwabara.
"Yes. It did," Kurama confirmed.
Yusuke said, "So we're thinkin'…?"
"That it's the demon we're lookin' for?" said Kuwabara.
"Yes. We are," Kurama also confirmed.
"OK," said Yusuke. "Good.
"OK," Kuwabara repeated. He nodded once, then twice. "OK. Good."
"We're in agreement, then," Kurama said.
A beat passed.
Then, as one, the trio rushed toward the front door of Onigumo Manor.
NOTES: What? You didn't think they'd notice A TALKING GODDAMN DOG? Jesus Christ.