Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, just Izumi and her ma-ma! ^_^
Nothing could stop the small child's steady stream of tears, despite Yukina, Keiko, Botan, and Shizure's attempts to calm her.
"Ma-moot! Ma-moot!"
"What is she saying, Kurama?" Keiko asked, wiping her own tears away. Kurama looked up from the paper that a few moments ago was grasped in the girls hands.
"She's calling for her mother." Sadly, he looked back down at the paper, deciphering the incantations printed on it.
"Aw man! This sucks!" Yusuke said as he paced the room. Kuwabara was trying his best not to cry along with her.
"Y-Yeah, it does." He watched as the girls tried to soothe her weeping, stroking her hair and softly speaking words of comfort.
"Poor thing. She must be around 2 years old." Shizuru commented.
Kurama stood up. "That's what the note states.
"What else does it say?" Koenma said with a heavy sigh. Kurama leaned against a wall, his emerald orbs dropping to the floor.
"It explains that the child, named Izumi, is a very rare water siren, a form of demon entrusted with guarding all rivers, streams, and oceans in Makai. The letter says that Izumi's home is under attack, and that her mother brought her here as a last resort. Apparently, the girl's 'ma-moot' is a powerful siren, and will try to defeat the evil oppressing her people. She wants us to protect Izumi while this is happening."
"Awright!" Kuwabara shouted, "A new mission!"
His sudden outburst startled Izumi, and a small giggle escaped her mouth. Immediately, the girls let out an exasperated "Awwww!"
"Hey, look Kuwabara! Even two year olds recognize an idiot when they see one!" Yusuke's comment lightened the somber mood with laughter from all. All, that is, except one.
"I think she likes you, Kazume!" Yukina chirped. Izumi grinned brightly, cooing and laughing along with her new friends. Kurama bent down to her, his soft eyes and warm smile catching Izumi's attention.
"It also says that Izumi's favorite things to do are play games and swim. Her favorite food is shrimp and flounder, and her favorite place is the ocean." Her small hand reached out and touched Kurama's lips, as if telling him to hush. Stifled laughs came from among the group. Kurama himself laughed . . . until she grabbed a handful of his red hair.
"Ow!" he exclaimed, jerking away from her reach. Izumi's auburn eyes began to moisten, obviously afraid of Kurama's reaction.
"Kurama! Look what you've done!" Botan said as she picked up the child. All the girls crowded around her, scolding Kurama as they did.
"Don't scare her like that!"
"There, there, Izumi, he's just a big meanie!"
"Are you okay, Izumi?"
Koenma sniggered, "Looks like you're not as good with the ladies as you put on, Kurama!"
Kurama looked hurt. "I'm sorry," was his small reply, disappointment caught in his voice.
"Nah, don't worry 'bout it, Kurama." Yusuke said as he strode over to the girls. He gave Izumi a long stare, enough to make her look up at him in curiosity. Then, he proceeded in making all kinds of faces and imitations, earning laughter not only from Izumi, but from everybody else as well. Except that certain one, who slowly stood from his isolated chair in the corner. Izumi immediately fell silent, eyes intensely locked with the crimson ones staring back at her. The room became still.
"I've had enough of this, this nonsense!" Hiei exclaimed, clenching his fists. His eyes narrowed as his sight rested on Izumi's small face.
"If this truly is an assignment, consider me dead," he sneered at the child, "I am no babysitter." He began to walk away, glaring daggers at any who met his eyes.
"Pheh, asshole," Shizuru muttered.
"Hiei, stop this instant!" Koenma shouted, temper flaring, "If you walk out that door, then you walk out of your freedom!" Hiei stopped, growling lowly. He turned and faced the angry eyes of his so-called "friends." He rolled his eyes and sighed, brushing past them to return to his lone chair.
"Aw, come on, shot-stuff! It ain't that bad!" Kuwabara huffed, shaking his head at Hiei's reaction.
"Nah, man! It's the easiest case yet!" Yusuke assurance sounded manipulating.
"Besides, you'll hardly be involved." Kurama said coldly, voice dripping with disgust. Hiei glared at his remark.
"Let's hope that's true. If it were up to me, this child would have been killed," he said solemnly, intensifying his glare on Izumi, "a long time ago."
"Oh! Don't be silly, Hiei!" Botan stated cheerfully, smiling happily at the little girl. "You couldn't hurt her if you tried, you big softie!"
"Hn."
However, Izumi could not take her eyes off of him. Her look wasn't one of fear or worry, just plain sadness. She kicked out of Botan's hold and clumsily walked towards Hiei, her sadness turning into merriment. Small arms stretched out to a confused Hiei as her giggles grew louder and louder.
"Pow-pa!"
Kurama busted out laughing. Hiei slowly backed away, eyes wide in terror.
"What is she doing Kurama?"
"She, hahahaa, thinks you're (wheeze) her father, Hiei!"
Laughter could not be contained within the group, the expression on Hiei's face and jubilant "Pow-pa! Pow-pa!" adding on to their gale. Eventually, Izumi tripped and fell, tears whelming up in her deep brown eyes again.
"Pow-pa?" she whimpered, confusion written on her face. Sympathy filled the hearts of every being in the room, save for one, who retreated to a different corner.
"Awww, Hiei! Give her a hug!" The girls chimed in unison.
"WHAT!?"
"Go on, Hiei," Kurama urged, "she doesn't know any better."
Reluctantly, Hiei stomped over to Izumi, snarling and baring his fangs in hope to frighten her. Instead, she smiled happily, clapping her hands together.
"Pow-pa!" A sick feeling permeated through Hiei's stomach. Looking back, he received a stern look from his "audience," as if daring him NOT to hug her. He sighed again.
"If it will shut you up . . ."
He closed his eyes in abhorrence and embraced her slightly, squeals of delight evading Izumi's lips. Almost instantly, Hiei detached himself from her.
"There!" he spat, "Don't ever ask me to do that again!" For the moment, the small girl was satisfied. Her only reply was a cute yawn, signifying her drowsiness.
"Uh-oh! I think someone's sleepy!" Keiko said as she scooped Izumi up in her arms, "Where will she stay?"
All looked to Koenma, who was apparently in deep thought.
"The Spirit World is certainly no place for a 2 year old," he said, mainly to himself. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he snapped his fingers.
"I got it! I'll assign each one of you days to keep her on!" He jumped out of his seat and pointed to a large calendar hanging upon a wall.
"Yusuke and Keiko, you can have her these days . . .let me see . . .Kuwabara, Yukina, and Shizuru, here's where you'll take her . . .hmm . . .ah! Kurama and Botan, both of you can have her on these dates," Koenma looked grimly at the jaganshi, "And Hiei, you WILL assist Kurama and Botan." Hiei began to protest.
"I will -"
"You WILL."
Nothing could stop the small child's steady stream of tears, despite Yukina, Keiko, Botan, and Shizure's attempts to calm her.
"Ma-moot! Ma-moot!"
"What is she saying, Kurama?" Keiko asked, wiping her own tears away. Kurama looked up from the paper that a few moments ago was grasped in the girls hands.
"She's calling for her mother." Sadly, he looked back down at the paper, deciphering the incantations printed on it.
"Aw man! This sucks!" Yusuke said as he paced the room. Kuwabara was trying his best not to cry along with her.
"Y-Yeah, it does." He watched as the girls tried to soothe her weeping, stroking her hair and softly speaking words of comfort.
"Poor thing. She must be around 2 years old." Shizuru commented.
Kurama stood up. "That's what the note states.
"What else does it say?" Koenma said with a heavy sigh. Kurama leaned against a wall, his emerald orbs dropping to the floor.
"It explains that the child, named Izumi, is a very rare water siren, a form of demon entrusted with guarding all rivers, streams, and oceans in Makai. The letter says that Izumi's home is under attack, and that her mother brought her here as a last resort. Apparently, the girl's 'ma-moot' is a powerful siren, and will try to defeat the evil oppressing her people. She wants us to protect Izumi while this is happening."
"Awright!" Kuwabara shouted, "A new mission!"
His sudden outburst startled Izumi, and a small giggle escaped her mouth. Immediately, the girls let out an exasperated "Awwww!"
"Hey, look Kuwabara! Even two year olds recognize an idiot when they see one!" Yusuke's comment lightened the somber mood with laughter from all. All, that is, except one.
"I think she likes you, Kazume!" Yukina chirped. Izumi grinned brightly, cooing and laughing along with her new friends. Kurama bent down to her, his soft eyes and warm smile catching Izumi's attention.
"It also says that Izumi's favorite things to do are play games and swim. Her favorite food is shrimp and flounder, and her favorite place is the ocean." Her small hand reached out and touched Kurama's lips, as if telling him to hush. Stifled laughs came from among the group. Kurama himself laughed . . . until she grabbed a handful of his red hair.
"Ow!" he exclaimed, jerking away from her reach. Izumi's auburn eyes began to moisten, obviously afraid of Kurama's reaction.
"Kurama! Look what you've done!" Botan said as she picked up the child. All the girls crowded around her, scolding Kurama as they did.
"Don't scare her like that!"
"There, there, Izumi, he's just a big meanie!"
"Are you okay, Izumi?"
Koenma sniggered, "Looks like you're not as good with the ladies as you put on, Kurama!"
Kurama looked hurt. "I'm sorry," was his small reply, disappointment caught in his voice.
"Nah, don't worry 'bout it, Kurama." Yusuke said as he strode over to the girls. He gave Izumi a long stare, enough to make her look up at him in curiosity. Then, he proceeded in making all kinds of faces and imitations, earning laughter not only from Izumi, but from everybody else as well. Except that certain one, who slowly stood from his isolated chair in the corner. Izumi immediately fell silent, eyes intensely locked with the crimson ones staring back at her. The room became still.
"I've had enough of this, this nonsense!" Hiei exclaimed, clenching his fists. His eyes narrowed as his sight rested on Izumi's small face.
"If this truly is an assignment, consider me dead," he sneered at the child, "I am no babysitter." He began to walk away, glaring daggers at any who met his eyes.
"Pheh, asshole," Shizuru muttered.
"Hiei, stop this instant!" Koenma shouted, temper flaring, "If you walk out that door, then you walk out of your freedom!" Hiei stopped, growling lowly. He turned and faced the angry eyes of his so-called "friends." He rolled his eyes and sighed, brushing past them to return to his lone chair.
"Aw, come on, shot-stuff! It ain't that bad!" Kuwabara huffed, shaking his head at Hiei's reaction.
"Nah, man! It's the easiest case yet!" Yusuke assurance sounded manipulating.
"Besides, you'll hardly be involved." Kurama said coldly, voice dripping with disgust. Hiei glared at his remark.
"Let's hope that's true. If it were up to me, this child would have been killed," he said solemnly, intensifying his glare on Izumi, "a long time ago."
"Oh! Don't be silly, Hiei!" Botan stated cheerfully, smiling happily at the little girl. "You couldn't hurt her if you tried, you big softie!"
"Hn."
However, Izumi could not take her eyes off of him. Her look wasn't one of fear or worry, just plain sadness. She kicked out of Botan's hold and clumsily walked towards Hiei, her sadness turning into merriment. Small arms stretched out to a confused Hiei as her giggles grew louder and louder.
"Pow-pa!"
Kurama busted out laughing. Hiei slowly backed away, eyes wide in terror.
"What is she doing Kurama?"
"She, hahahaa, thinks you're (wheeze) her father, Hiei!"
Laughter could not be contained within the group, the expression on Hiei's face and jubilant "Pow-pa! Pow-pa!" adding on to their gale. Eventually, Izumi tripped and fell, tears whelming up in her deep brown eyes again.
"Pow-pa?" she whimpered, confusion written on her face. Sympathy filled the hearts of every being in the room, save for one, who retreated to a different corner.
"Awww, Hiei! Give her a hug!" The girls chimed in unison.
"WHAT!?"
"Go on, Hiei," Kurama urged, "she doesn't know any better."
Reluctantly, Hiei stomped over to Izumi, snarling and baring his fangs in hope to frighten her. Instead, she smiled happily, clapping her hands together.
"Pow-pa!" A sick feeling permeated through Hiei's stomach. Looking back, he received a stern look from his "audience," as if daring him NOT to hug her. He sighed again.
"If it will shut you up . . ."
He closed his eyes in abhorrence and embraced her slightly, squeals of delight evading Izumi's lips. Almost instantly, Hiei detached himself from her.
"There!" he spat, "Don't ever ask me to do that again!" For the moment, the small girl was satisfied. Her only reply was a cute yawn, signifying her drowsiness.
"Uh-oh! I think someone's sleepy!" Keiko said as she scooped Izumi up in her arms, "Where will she stay?"
All looked to Koenma, who was apparently in deep thought.
"The Spirit World is certainly no place for a 2 year old," he said, mainly to himself. Suddenly, his eyes shot open and he snapped his fingers.
"I got it! I'll assign each one of you days to keep her on!" He jumped out of his seat and pointed to a large calendar hanging upon a wall.
"Yusuke and Keiko, you can have her these days . . .let me see . . .Kuwabara, Yukina, and Shizuru, here's where you'll take her . . .hmm . . .ah! Kurama and Botan, both of you can have her on these dates," Koenma looked grimly at the jaganshi, "And Hiei, you WILL assist Kurama and Botan." Hiei began to protest.
"I will -"
"You WILL."