Athena Zandrite
We all know the copyright rules. Don't steal, it's not nice. ^.~
"What did you guys find out?" Ken asks looking at Youji and Omi.
Youji pulls the cigarette from his mouth and looks the other direction as a thin wisp of smoke escapes his lips.
Omi scrunches his face in frustration. "It's hard to get anything out of Yuusuke, he's used to avoiding people and questions." He says then sits heavily back against the couch cushions.
"What did you find out?" Ken repeats.
"Well I met the girl. She's really strange but I feel… I don't know what the feeling is, sort of a mixture of calm and peaceful when she's around. She talks a lot. If I could have spoken with her more before Yuusuke stopped her…"
"You met the one with blue hair?" Youji asks "I didn't see her anywhere!"
"I don't think she goes to the school. She wears the uniform to fit in. She was talking to Yuusuke before she noticed me and what she said made no sense."
"Eh? What'd she say?" Ken asks biting into his apple.
"Well she mentioned she'd been waiting for him, on the roof…"
"She didn't hit me as the type to-"
"Not for that Youji. Though Yuusuke really embarrassed her by suggesting it."
"Yes, he's more that type."
"She said he was predictable, and someone they both know… I think KoEnma-sama… doesn't like Yuusuke's predictability. Well that or whatever he is predictable about. She says Yuusuke is dependable. But then she jumped to another subject and said something about a Youdai… no youkai I think. But then she saw me and stopped."
"That's all you found out?" Youji mutters.
"I think we know less now." Omi grumbles. "When he suggested they were wanting private time, she got mad and stormed off. Both were yelling at each other. But we were on the roof and she didn't go inside. When I followed her, she was gone. No trace of her at all. We were three stories up, a fall like that would have killed her." He broods.
"What did Urameshi have to say about it?" Youji asks putting his cigarette out.
"He was gone when I got back to the door." Omi mutters.
"That's kind of creepy Omi." Ken notes.
"Tell me something I don't know." Omi agrees. "I'll have to tail him tomorrow.
"I only found out what a violent reputation Urameshi has. Some of the teachers are vengeful. They want him out of the school." Youji smiles a little. "The principal tells me he has some potential. Says he's a good hearted boy." He stands up. "Kuwabara is the same way, with more friends."
"What did you find out about Minamino?" Omi asks and Ken chokes on a bite of apple.
"He's too observant!" He says after recovering. "It's like he's not human!"
"What do you mean?" Aya speaks for the first time.
"every time I watched him, he would look directly at me. He noticed me before I was ANYWHERE near him. The only time I got close was during lunch break at his school. I introduced myself and he was polite but really careful. I got nowhere at all with him. I did manage to make a study date with him. I'm not sure if he just let me do that to confront me though. The guy is sharp."
Aya lapses back into stony silence. The others wisely decide not to ask if he had any luck with finding anything out about the suspected murderer.
"Gah!" I have to meet Shuiichi in half an hour!" He grabs his backpack and disappears upstairs.
"I'm going to watch Yuusuke's house." Omi says standing up. "It's only a block away." He makes his way upstairs and Youji follows.
Aya narrows his eyes in thought.
Omi follows quietly a block behind Yuusuke as he walks down the street. He'd left home almost as soon as Omi got there and immediately Omi was nervous. Yuusuke could easily have lost him but it appears the boy is trying to give Omi a chance to keep up. Youji joins him and frowns. They drop back even farther but Yuusuke also slows down. Not once does he look back at them. "The kid is creeping me out." Youji mutters. "How can he only be in high school?"
Omi shakes his head and plods on. They both stop and fade into the shadows as Yuusuke approaches a house. He smirks and knocks on the door.
Ken looks up from the books strewn across Shuiichi's desk when he hears the knock on the door. "Expecting someone?" he asks as Shuiichi stands.
"Sort of, want to come with me?" he asks and motions to the door.
Ken looks at the books then back at his host. "OK." He stands up and follows Shuiichi downstairs. He almost falls over when the door opens to reveal Yuusuke Urameshi. He blinks at the newcomer who sizes him up. "Hey Shuiichi, how's it hanging?"
The red head smiles. "Outside."
"Mmm, should be fun."
Shuiichi steps outside and waits for Ken to follow. "This is Yuusuke, a friend of mine." He says as explanation. "Let's go."
Ken walks hesitantly outside wondering what the hell is going on. They reach the street and Ken's head jerks to look at Shuiichi as the boy claps a hand onto his shoulder.
Yuusuke smiles into the darkness. "Come on out, let's have a chat." He shouts into the quiet street.
The street remains quiet.
Oh for crying out loud. I know you're there. One behind the wall, the other the large oak. Get out." He repeats impatiently. Ken watches slack jawed as Youji and Omi step out and into the light of the streetlamp. Both looking ready to fight.
"Where's Botan? Yuusuke mutters.
"Here here!" A cheerful feminine voice rings out and she steps out of the shadows in a traditional pink kimono carrying a book that she's leafing through.
"Bingo!" she announces gaily.
She makes a sweeping motion toward Ken. "Ken Hidaka, 19 years old, former J-league superstar. Likes, children, soccer, orange juice. Current job, florist and assassin." She reads from the book. Ken's mouth moves but no sound escapes his lips.
Botan tsks and moves to Youji. "Youji Kudo, age 20, likes… eto… women, cigarettes, former detective… oh, goodness." She is quiet for a moment reading. She looks at Youji and he looks away. "Ano… job now, florist, assassin."
She turns to Omi who has stopped looking angry and now only appears confused. "Omi Tsukiyono, age 17, also known as Mamoru Takatori." She continues as the boy turns a paler shade and Ken and Youji narrow their eyes. "Likes, the elderly, exceptionally kind, current occupations are student, florist and assassin." She snaps the book shut and tucks it into her kimono. "The fourth is missing… Ran?" she smiles and moves over between Omi and Ken.
"Why are you guys following us?" Yuusuke asks frowning.
"How do you know all that?!" Ken asks.
"I asked first." Yuusuke says sending Ken an impatient glare.
All three hesitate. Kurama smiles at Ken. "We obviously know enough about you that telling us your purpose couldn't hurt you all that much."
Ken shoots a look at Youji who frowns and shakes his head."
Botan sighs. "Perhaps this will convince you. Persia is Shuiichi Takatori, chief of Police. He has been sending you on assassinations to rid the current government "problems". " She looks pointedly at Youji who seems to have taken a leadership position.
Youji's jaw literally drops.
"Who are you?!" Omi exclaims.
"I'm Botan. Why are you following them?"
Omi looks at Youji. "She's right, we may as well tell what we know. They know almost everything."
Youji rubs his neck in defeat. "Well…"
"We don't really know why we've got to follow you." Ken starts thoughtfully. "We were asked to find out more about you. It relates to your friend who is a suspect…" He stops as Yuusuke's eyes flash and his hand twitches a little.
"From what I've seen," Youji says looking at Yuusuke, "You seem much more capable of the murder than Yukimura-san does. But we all know you didn't do it."
"Damn right I didn't, what the hell do you mean I seem capable of murder?!"
Kurama puts a placating hand on Yuusuke's shoulder. "I think he wasn't trying to insult you, Yuusuke."
"Hmph, he sure managed though." Yuusuke mutters.
Youji has, by now, recovered from the shock of discovering the kid's knowledge about him. He leans toward Botan and takes her hand.
She looks up at him, confused. "Um..?"
"You, my dear, are just about the most mysterious girl I've ever come across, might I ask your last name?"
Botan continues looking at Youji for a moment she then starts laughing nervously. "Last name?" she asks him. "That's … um…" she tries to pull her hand away from him as she looks helplessly at Yuusuke.
Youji follows her gaze and Yuusuke seems to be in thought. Kurama looks strangely angry. "What difference does her last name make?" he asks sharply, stepping forward and helping Botan to extricate her hand from Youji's. "If you want something from us to incriminate Keiko you won't get anything. She's innocent." Kurama says and Botan nods emphatically, ponytail bobbing in the air.
"I think Persia wanted our observations to be unbiased. He didn't ask us to dig up dirt, just observe." Omi says from the side.
Kurama looks thoughtful.
Ken has been looking at Botan as though she's an alien, for the last couple of minutes and finally speaks up. "How do you know all that stuff?"
Botan smiles brightly. "Well it's all right here in my b-" she stops her hand as Yuusuke claps a hand over her mouth. She realizes she nearly blew it.
"She's quite a good researcher." Kurama lamely attempts to explain.
You guys know a lot about us, don't you think you might give us a little information?"
"Humph. Why should we?" Yuusuke asks.
"We'll have to keep watching you if you won't tell." He says then smiles at Botan. "Especially you, for you're the one we know the least about. I volunteer to be your shadow." He winks.
"What do you want to know?" Kurama asks, "if we can, we'll answer."
"Kurama!" Botan looks shocked.
Kurama smiles reassuringly.
"Where did you get our information?" Ken repeats.
Kurama looks at Botan who thinks for a moment. "Well, everything is recorded and indexed and catalogued, if you know where to look." She says carefully.
"How did you know we were following you?" Youji asks, "and where we hid."
"I could hear you." Yuusuke says with a straight face. "And I can sense stuff like that."
"Well, then how did you know I was with them?" Ken looks to Kurama.
"When Yuusuke mentioned he thought you were getting too nosy," he looks in Omi's direction, "I started observing the people that were new in the school, and Ken was new, very curious and pushy, he fit the bill. So I discussed it with Botan and with her research, our suspicions were validated."
Omi thinks a while longer. "Well, Botan…" she turns and smiles.
"Hai?" comes her cheerful reply.
"How did you disappear?" he asks.
She holds up a finger then realization hits. "D… disappear?" she asks timidly, after recovering.
"Yes, you were on the roof then gone, but you didn't use the stairs." Omi says looking at her curiously.
She looks thoughtful for a full minute. Finally she smiles broadly. Everyone looks curious. "What was the questions?" she asks.
Youji looks disbelievingly at the blue haired girl. Omi look surprised and Kurama and Yuusuke both look as though they're trying not to laugh. "How did you disappear?" Omi repeats persistently.
"Hmm disappear…" Botan muses. "I suppose you could say I flew."
"Erm… how'd you do that?" Ken asks when he realizes Omi is speechless.
Botan giggles nervously again. She clutches Kurama's shirt unconsciously and he smiles warmly at her. "I think this is one we can't explain." He says for Botan. "You wouldn't believe it if we tried."
Omi doesn't look convinced. "Can you try to explain?"
Kurama's eyes flash impatiently and Botan look nervously at Yuusuke.
"We can't explain." Yuusuke says. "Stop harassing her."
"I'm sorry." Omi apologizes to Botan who looks depressed. "I just … disappearing would be really handy…" He tries one more time to get it out of Botan.
"You can't just disappear." Botan says looking at him seriously.
"But you can?"
"Well, I … I've got special circumstances." She says softly.
"I think we've answered enough of your questions." Yuusuke says, finalizing the meeting. "Don't make me force you to leave." He cracks his knuckles.
"We may contact you again." Youji says then turns to leave. Ken follows.
"Thanks for helping us." Omi says then runs to catch up to the others. As they disappear down the street, Botan turns and bows to Kurama and Yuusuke.
"I'm sorry I got you guys into so much trouble." She frowns.
"Couldn't be helped." Kurama says reassuringly.
"Be careful, they'll still be watching." Yuusuke warns. He turns to leave.
"Ahh, I have to get back to KoEnma-sama and my job!" Botan smiles at Kurama. "See you later, Kurama-san."
Kurama waves and watches the street a moment before returning to his room.
She watches as the red head goes back into his home, a low hiss escapes her lips.
"Too many people are interested. Why are humans watching them…" The shadowy figure coughs and looks pained for a moment. "Soon it must be soon. Perhaps one of those nosy florists would be suitable this time." Her eyes glint red for a moment, reflecting the light of a nearby streetlamp. "Yes, the young one will do nicely…" Her lips part in a smile of pure malice, fangs glinting in the moonlight. For a moment her face shape becomes completely indistinguishable, a second later it takes on the shape of Omi Tsukiyono. She becomes taller and her hair appears to shorten.
He laughs, the sound of gravel under car tires, before slipping into the shadowy night.