Athena Zandrite
We all know the copyright rules. Don't steal, it's not nice. You wouldn't want my eternal spirit haunting you, now would you?
Keiko sighs and looks at the officer guarding the door. She turns back to Shizuru and rolls her eyes. "I'm going stir crazy." She complains. "Yuusuke and the others visit daily but I want to go outside." She holds her head and glares at the officer who pretends he doesn't notice. "I hate house arrest!" She mutters.
"They'll soon find out you're innocent, Keiko-chan. Yuusuke and Kurama are really digging." Shizuru puffs on her cigarette and smiles at Keiko reassuringly.
"Well, I for one, can't wait till they figure it out, I'll be happy to get back to school." She sips her tea thoughtfully.
"At least you get a break, Keiko-chan. Count your blessings."
"Shizuru-san! Being accused of murder is in no way a blessing!" Keiko exclaims in shock. "And it was horrible…" She covers her mouth remembering the scene vividly.
Shizuru pats her back and whispers reassuring words in her ear, she looks over Keiko's shoulder at the guard, in deep thought.
"Why the hell are you still here?" Yuusuke asks Omi in irritation.
"It's not my fault." Omi replies, swinging his book bag onto his desk with a thump.
"The hell it isn't." Yuusuke's eyes flash angrily.
Omi sits down and glances at the front of the classroom. "You're early today." He notes lazily, his eyes don't focus on anything in particular and he props his chin up with his hand. The door slams open and he glances at it in a bored fashion.
"Oi, Urameshi!" A boisterous voice booms over the class. Kuwabara Kazuya comes bawdily into the classroom, with all the grace of a gorilla. He smiles cheerfully at Yuusuke and makes his way around the desks to speak with his friend.
"Hey, Kuwabara." Yuusuke acknowledges him in a more cheerful attitude than that he was directing toward the florist. He puts a hand in his pocket, his whole body becomes more relaxed.
Kuwabara looks at Omi disapprovingly. "This is the punk who won't leave you alone?" He eyes him critically, sizing the smaller boy up. "Kinda scrawny isn't he?" It is more of a statement than a question.
"Nice to meet you." Omi says strained at the far from warm greeting. He runs a hand absently through his hair and smiles thinly at the orange haired fellow.
Kuwabara grins broadly. "It's nice to meet you too. I am Kazuma Kuwabara, the number one delinquent of Sarayashiki Junior High School and an all around great guy!" He motions wildly throughout his speech, giving an overall comical effect to it. Yuusuke looks like he's in pain.
"Oh… that's nice." Omi is at a loss for a reply to Kazuma's self promoting speech.
"Kuwabara, go to your classroom." Yuusuke's teacher is standing at the head of class waiting impatiently to begin lectures. He narrows his eyes at Kuwabara and attempts patience.
"Ok, sensee." Kuwabara crows gallantly in the general direction of the teacher. "I'll see ya around Urameshi." He makes his way awkwardly out of the classroom.
"He's quite a character." Omi says opening his book and flipping to the correct page.
"Yeah, something like that." Yuusuke mutters. He sits back in his desk and looks out the window in a distracted manner.
After class Omi stands up and collects his books. Sometime during the day Yuusuke disappeared and he's pretty sure he knows where. After swinging his bag onto his shoulder, he turns his clear blues eyes on the door and stuffs a hand in his pocket, making his way to the roof to approach Yuusuke.
Sure enough, as Omi emerges into the sunlight, he glances to the right and Yuusuke is crouched down, with a glare on his face, chewing gum. He doesn't look pleased to see Omi. "I thought we might talk a little." Omi says blowing some bangs out of his face and moves to stand above Yuusuke, blocking the sunlight.
Yuusuke squints at his profile with a decided frown and then looks away. "Che. I don't feel like talking." He blinks in surprise and looks back at Omi the standing boy's form appears to waver slightly. "Wait a minute… who are-" The question goes unfinished as Yuusuke's vision swims, before he blacks out, he is pretty sure he saw Omi's eyes glow red and a sinister smile appear on his face. Fangs?
"Kuwa-chan, have you seen Yuusuke? I can't find him anywhere!" Botan wrings her hands nervously as she falls into step beside the large orange haired boy.
Kuwabara turns a concerned look at the Reikai guide. She is in his school's traditional girl's uniform, navy skirt and sailor-style blouse. The only thing that appears unordinary about her is the blue hair that bobs on her head as she tries to keep pace with Kuwabara's long steps. He tilts his head in thought. "No, last time I saw him, he was in class this morning." He rubs his chin and frowns. "Maybe he went to the Arcade."
"Hey!" Botan brightens noticeably and beams broadly at Kuwabara. "That's a good idea Kuwa-chan! Help me find him?" Botan looks imploringly at her friend, with a slight pout and her hands clasped in a begging position.
"Of course Botan-chan!" Kuwabara strikes one of his 'man poses', hands on hips and chest thrust forward, a self assured look on his face. "Kuwabara-the-man always helps a lady in need!"
Botan's amiable laugh bubbles up warmly and she smiles at him, used to his antics. "That's why I ask you, of course!" She looks at him gaily.
The two search the arcade, gaming store and then the park with no luck. "Mou! Where could he have gone?" Botan frowns and stomps her foot in irritation.
Kuwabara scratches his temple in confusion. "I don't know." He sighs and his shoulders droop in obvious defeat. Kuwabara's brown eyes scan the park again and then move to the skyline. He frowns and blinks as a black shadow disappears from a nearby tree. "Hiei?" He mutters under his breath, narrowing his eyes. He turns to Botan and puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Let's check with Kurama."
"Hmm, he may have an idea that we haven't thought of." Botan agrees and clenches her hand in a fist hopefully. She nods and the two make their way to Kurama's house.
Shiori greets them at the door, with her usual warm smile. "Ahh, Botan-chan, Kazuma-kun." She steps back to allow them into the house and shuts the door behind them. "Shuiichi is in his room, please go on up."
"We're sorry to bother you!" Botan and Kuwabara chorus as they take off their shoes and make their way upstairs.
Botan Knocks on Kurama's door hesitantly. She waits for a moment and there is no answer so she calls out. "Kurama-kun, it's Botan-chan."
She jumps back as a loud crash emanates from the room, the sound of something heavy hitting glass. Kuwabara's eyes widen and he throws open the door, rushing in, Botan follows. "Kurama are you OK….?" The words die on her lips and her mouth hangs open at the site in the room.
Kurama is sprawled out on the ground, Hiei on top of him, both look up surprised. Kurama looks slightly shocked and Hiei is holding his head and swearing under his breath. He turns angrily to Kurama. "Why'd you close the window?!" He spits out vehemently. He resumes swearing and is suddenly standing up reaching for the latch on the window.
Kurama has collected himself and finished dusting off his backside. He moves to the window in exasperation. "Wait, Hiei, you need to tell them!" Kurama tries to pull the reluctant koorime from his current task of escaping.
"Humph, you tell them. I don't want to talk to the gorilla." Hiei says, eyes cutting quickly toward Kuwabara.
Kuwabara doesn't take it well. "Why you little shrimp!" He starts forward, Botan stepping in front of him to push him back. To an innocent observer this would look rather comical. Botan's head may reach as high as Kuwabara's chest and she literally leans her whole weight into him with both arms on his chest trying to hold him back. Kuwabara clenches his teeth and relaxes, putting a hand on Botan's head to show her he won't continue the attack.
"Kuwa-chan, we have much more important things to discuss." She reprimands, glancing nervously at Hiei. Hiei scowls back at her.
Kurama tries to smile and it comes out slightly strained but he nudges Hiei. "Baka." Hiei mutters under his breath and begins. "I saw Yuusuke." His voice is reluctant. "He was with the kid, the florist."
"With Omi." Botan nods, ponytail bobbing in agreement. She flinches and moves slightly behind Kuwabara as Hiei glares at her.
Hiei continues. "They were on the school roof, talking, at one point Yuusuke fell over and the kid picked him up. He took off with him."
"Fell over?" Kuwabara looks surprised. "Did he attack him?"
Hiei frowns, folding his arms across his chest and looking out the window. "No."
"That is peculiar." Kurama agrees. "He seemed harmless enough the other night." He trains his green eyes on the far wall as he thinks, trying to remember any telltale signs of danger from Omi.
"A human couldn't hurt Yuusuke. Not without touching him." Botan steps forward, clutching an arm to her chest in protest, defending Yuusuke's fighting abilities.
"Maybe we were mistaken Botan-san." Kurama murmurs. "Either way, we'll have to visit our little assassin and find out." There is a look of challenge behind his emerald eyes.
"I'm not going." Hiei mutters turning away from the group, his voice calm and detached.
"Heh, the little twerp is scared!" Kuwabara crows at Hiei, quite enjoying a chance to tease the small demon.
Hiei snorts. "Fool." He mutters managing to open the window, "This doesn't concern me." He is gone in the blink of an eye.
"We'll have to go tomorrow morning." Kurama says checking his watch.
"I can't!" Kuwabara exclaims in dismay clapping a hand to his forehead in typical over dramatics. "I have morning duties and the teacher is monitoring me." He looks downcast.
"That's OK Kuwabara, Botan and I will go." Kurama smiles at the taller man and looks at Botan to see if this is all right with her. She nods.
"Is it OK for you to miss class tomorrow though Kurama-kun?" She looks a bit worried at the red head. Shuiichi Minamino has a near perfect school record.
"I'll be fine. I haven't used a sick day in quite some time." He grins amiably at the spirit girl.
"Well… OK." Botan nods again. "I'll meet you at the park tomorrow morning." She pulls her oar out and sits down. "I have to tell KoEnma what is going on." She floats above them like a leaf on the wind. "Be careful, if he could get Yuusuke there's no telling how dangerous he is."
"Don't worry Botan-chan! My Rei-ken will defeat him!" Kuwabara boasts, again huffing his chest up and pointing a thumb self-assuredly at himself.
She looks worried but floats out the window.