Athena Zandrite
Be nice, don't take my stuff.
Kurama looks up when he hears someone calling his name. Botan jogs up to him and stops, panting. She puts her hands on her knees and sighs. "I thought I'd never make it!" She says and smiles apologetically at Kurama. "Sorry I'm late, Kurama-san. Botan-chan reporting for duty!" She straightens and salutes him then relaxes and smiles. "Let's find Yuusuke!" She shoves her hands into the pockets of her red jacket and moves to walk next to Kurama.
"You're certainly full of energy." Kurama says watching her thoughtfully.
"Well, with both you AND Yuusuke there, what's to worry about? And we know where he lives he hasn't got a chance, right?"
Kurama doesn't look convinced. "Yuusuke's not very easy to fell." He murmurs.
Botan frowns and sakes her head. "It was a bad day. I'm sure Yuusuke will be ready to fight by now!" She looks stubbornly forward and Kurama smiles sympathetically at her. The girl is obviously attached if not in love, with her tantei charge.
Even Botan refuses to admit it, well aware of the futility of her emotions. The first problem would be that Yuusuke is human, and Botan is only a spirit. The second problem being Botan's best friend is Yuusuke's girlfriend. A few of her friends have noticed her attachment, and watched, unable to help as she swallows her feelings and pretends he's only as important to her as a friend.
Kurama looks up at the sign above the store as Botan stops next to him. He runs a hand absently through his bangs pushing them back only to have them fall back into his eyes. He smiles and sighs. "If things get messy stay back, Botan-san." He looks seriously at her. "One of us needs to make it out of there if something happens."
Botan bites her lip and frowns then nods. Kurama looks relieved and opens the door to the store.
"Irassaimasse!" Ken calls then blinks rapidly as Botan and Kurama enter the shop. A few of the girls in the shop giggle and whisper as Kurama makes his way over to Ken. "Shuiichi-san, I never expected to see you here." He says putting a hand on his hip and smiling amiably at Kurama. He looks uncomfortable as Shuiichi stares coldly back.
"Where's Omi?" He asks, voice low. "We need to have a little chat."
Ken looks nervously at Botan who has her arms crossed in front of her and looks upset, then back at Kurama. "Why Omi?" he asks and steps back in surprise as Kurama's eyes flash with impatience.
"Where… is… Omi?"
Ken glances around the store and sees Youji frowning back. "I'm not sure where he is. Let me go find him."
Kurama puts a hand on his shoulder. "I'll come along."
Ken swallows and turns excusing himself from the girls who have been watching in awe. He makes his way through the back of the shop with Kurama trailing quietly behind. "Omi? Omi!" Ken shouts.
They hear a muffled call and then someone coming upstairs. The far door opens and Omi steps out carefully re-shutting it before turning around. "What is it?" he asks and doesn't seem surprised to see Kurama is also with Ken.
Ken motions toward Kurama. "Shuiichi came specifically asking for you. What's the problem?"
Omi blinks and looks at Kurama. "Can I help you?"
Kurama narrows his eyes and Ken steps back a little. "Where is he?"
Omi smiles at him. "I'm sorry? Where is who?"
Kurama closes his eyes and breaths deeply. After a moment he opens his eyes again. "Yuusuke. What did you do with Yuusuke?"
Ken steps forward in surprise. "What do you mean? We haven't seen Yuusuke since you guys helped us."
Kurama's eyes remain fixed on Omi who is still smiling a disattached, lazy smile. "Kuwabara says he saw you yesterday morning at school."
"Hmm?" Omi says thoughtfully.
"You were here yesterday morning, weren't you?" Ken is now watching Omi also. "Youji said you slipped on the wet concrete and nearly killed yourself." He frowns as Omi's smile becomes cold. "What's wrong with you?"
Kurama feels the youkai's ki hit him in a sudden blast. He pushes Ken back and pulls a hand through his hair.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Omi's eyes narrow.
"Who are you?" Kurama asks.
"My name is unimportant. All you need to know is that I have your friend and he will die if you don't cooperate."
What happened to Omi?!" Ken asks angrily.
"This boy's body is with their friend." Omi grins horribly at Ken, his eyes flashing to red and fangs clearly visible.
"What do you want?" Kurama looks very calmly at the youkai, dropping his hand to his side.
"I want you to back off." Omi's innocent eyes are filled with death and hunger.
"You know we can't do that." Kurama says.
Then Urameshi will die." Omi's grin widens "And so will this boy."
"You can't!" Ken yells, reaching for Omi before Kurama can stop him.
With blinding speed, the youkai lashes out at Ken, slicing his hand with razor-sharp nails, Ken shouts in shock and jumps back holding his hand. He stares at the Youkai, clearly scared. The youkai cowers and growls like a cornered animal. "Stupid boy," voice like the hiss of car tires on grave, "Do you want your friend to die?"
Kurama quickly bandages the hand which is bleeding profusely. When he turns around, the youkai is gone.
"Ken! What's wrong?" Youji bursts through the door and Botan peeks through behind him. Youji sees the hand and immediately grabs Kurama by the collar. "What did you do to him you bastard."
"Youji, it wasn't Shuiichi." Ken grits his teeth in pain, the cut reaches bone and he can feel the meaty flesh still soaking through the bandage. Botan runs over and kneels next to him looking at the damage.
"Kurama, he'll bleed to death if we don't do something. Do you have any herbs with you?" she looks up and Youji slowly lets go of his collar. Kurama smoothes his shirt and glances at Botan and Ken.
"I don't have any with me Botan, I'm sorry."
Youji leans over and makes a face. "Dang, what happened?"
Botan frowns and takes Ken's hand gently in her own. She turns it over to look at the gash. The cut runs diagonally from mid forearm below the thumb, up to the juncture of the pinky and ring fingers. It is as cleanly sliced as though done with a scalpel, and the flesh, tendons, and veins spread slightly apart. The cut is clean save the blood pouring out of the crevice. The bone is chipped below in two places.
"He's strong, Kurama. Look at the bone, it's cut." She frowns. "And it's not clotting."
Kurama leans over and nods. "That is the softer bones though. It's still deadly, can you fix it?"
Botan nods and clasps Ken's hand in her own. She closes her eyes and a small tendril of glowing blue snakes it's way around her hand, twirling and twisting like glowing blue smoke, wrapping itself around both her own hand and his, until both are enveloped in the glowing blue light. Ken's eyes widen in surprise as he feels the pain in his hand ebb and ease.
"Why wasn't it clotting?" She murmurs thoughtfully. "What kind of youkai…" she sits down with a plop in front of Ken. "Such strong youki, I'm dizzy."
Youji looks at Botan, then at Kurama. His eyes narrow. "We need to talk." He turns to Ken. "Take them downstairs, I'll find Aya, we're involved now, we deserve an explanation. "He turns on his heel and exits the hall.
Kurama leans down putting a hand on Botan's shoulder. "Are you ok?"
Botan looks up at him and smiles dizzily. "It takes a lot to heal youki without medicine. I'll be OK." She tries to stand and stumbles a little. Kurama helps her as Ken gets to his feet, staring at his newly healed hand. "Where do we go Ken?" Kurama asks holding Botan around the waist. She wipes her brow and looks at Ken expectantly.
"Oh! This way." He turns and opens a door, walking down a flight of steps, flicking a switch to illuminate the basement, the lights flicker and come to life revealing a sparsely furnished room. One couch, a few chairs, a computer in the far corner and a screen in front of the couch. Ken waits for Kurama to help Botan down the stairs and then offers them a seat. "The others will be here soon." He says sitting in a chair.
Sure enough, two minutes later finds a very grim Youji and Aya climbing down the stairs. Aya glares at the two on the couch and Botan visibly shrinks back against Kurama's arm. Youji puts a hand on Aya's shoulder. "Perhaps we should sit."
Aya shrugs the hand off and sits. Youji sits next to Botan on the couch. "Why don't you start from the beginning." He says to both Kurama and Botan.
Kurama closes his eyes and breaths deeply before opening his mouth. "This is going to be really hard to swallow." He says.
"I saw my friend with red eyes, fangs and nails that slice like knives. Nothing is going to surprise me after that." Ken mumbles.
"Well, you see…." Botan bites her lip, "Ahh… I'm not human." She smiles nervously.
Aya looks as though he'd like to rip her tongue out of her mouth. Ken blinks.
"What do you mean you aren't human?" Youji asks patiently.
"Well, you see, I'm not really alive. I don't have a human body, KoEnma-sama just lets me use this when people have to see me. I'm actually a spirit guide to the Reikai. I work right under KoEnma." She waits for them to tell her to continue.
The stare.
Finally Aya speaks up. "You expect us to believe this crap? We're not kids. Can't you come up with a better story?"
Botan blinks, then looks furious. "I'm not lying!" she exclaims. "What nerve!!" Suddenly her oar is in her hand, and just as suddenly she has clobbered Aya up the side of the head with it. "Don't call me a liar you JERK!" she stands fuming.
Youji and Ken look shocked and Kurama looks amused. Aya stands up and holds his head in pain, he looks homicidal.
"Where did that oar come from?" Ken asks, worried that Aya will make good on the look.
Botan frowns "I told you I'm a guide, this is my oar."
Ken looks confused. "Why do you need an oar?" he asks.
Well, how else am I supposed to get to the Spirit world from the human world and vice versa?" Botan returns the confused look.
Kurama steps in. "Why don't you show him how it works?"
Botan smiles, glad it's something easy. She sits on the oar and floats up a bit. "See?" she asks.
Ken looks as though he'd like to run. "EH?!"
"How are you floating?" Youji exclaims.
"Not really floating more flying or hovering." She replies, swinging her feet.
"Do you believe us now?" Kurama asks sitting back against the couch cushions.
"I see it but it's hard to believe." Youji mutters.
"Go on." Aya says.
"Well… I'm a resident of Reikai so I'm a spirit. But the other world aside from Ningenkai which is your world, is called Makai. Makai is the world of demons. There is a barrier that Enma-sama put up between Makai and Ningenkai to keep the demons out of your world, but occasionally some find their way here anyway. That's where Yuusuke and Kurama and the other boys come in. They're Reikai Tantei or Spirit World detectives. So they have to find the demons that cause trouble and bring them back to Enma-sama to be tried." She pauses and looks at her audience. "Any questions yet?"
"You arrest demons?" Ken asks Kurama.
"How the heck to you go about stopping a demon, much less arresting one?"
Botan giggles and Kurama smiles. "Kurama's very powerful." Botan explains.
"Why are you powerful?" Ken asks.
Kurama allows his eyes to turn slightly golden and his youki to raise to the point regular humans can fell it. "I'm a demon myself." He says looking forward to their reactions.
He smiles as they gawk and visibly shrink back from the disturbance in the air around Kurama that silently screams danger.
"Holy @#%$!" Ken mutters as Kurama returns his ki to normal.
Aya looks slightly shaken but quickly recovers. "So Omi is with this demon, somewhere…" He summarizes.
"With Yuusuke." Kurama agrees.
"And apparently this thing can look like anyone." Youji appends.
"I hate to bring humans into it." Botan frets still floating on her oar.
"If their friend is also captured, we have no choice." Kurama says resignedly.
Botan nods.
"How do we find it?" Ken wants to know.
Kurama looks at Botan. "We should introduce them to the others. How will we track the youkai down, Botan?"
"Un!" She agrees, then begins searching her pockets. She finally extracts a watch. "The Onis finally fixed it." She grins at Kurama. "Yuusuke broke it at Genkai-shihan's and we thought it was nearly beyond repair."
"What is it?" Aya asks, irritated with her chatter.
"Oh!" She remember they've never seen it before. She holds it out to him with a warm smile. "It's a You-ki detector watch!" she announces. She floats over next to him so she can hold the device in front of both of them. "I twist this knob and …. " she twists the small knob on the side and the compass in the middle starts turning. "It searches for the nearest youki." They watch as the compass finally stops, pointing at Kurama. Luminescent number read 0.08 meters. They both glance at him and he shrugs back.
"Maybe Kuwa-chan will go with me so you and Hiei don't confuse it." She says thoughtfully.
"We have to wait for him to get out of school." Kurama says.
Aya takes the watch from her. "I'll look."
"But…" Botan trails off at Aya's cold glare.
"I'm afraid you'll at least have to let Botan tag along." Kurama says, eyeing Aya with very little trust.
Botan looks nervous, twisting her hands in her lap. Aya reminds her of Hiei, and tagging along with Hiei is taking one's life in her hands.
Aya remains passive, no emotion on his face. "Why." It's almost a dare.
"Because you're no match for a youkai no matter how well you fight. Botan will keep you out of trouble." Kurama says patiently.
Aya glares at him for a moment before turning and walking up the stairs. Botan blinks then glances at Kurama. She sighs and hops off the oar, running up the stairs after him as the oar disappears.
"What can we do?" Ken asks Kurama after the door shuts.
"I'll introduce you to my friends." Kurama smiles.
Youji and Ken stand up and the three leave the room, shutting the door behind them.