~Chapter 1~
~An Old Acquaintance and Some Ramen~
Kurama glanced up at the boy who sat down next to him and then did a double take. First, the boy was a young woman and second, something about her big blue eyes was familiar. She was wearing the boy's uniform and had black hair bobbed short with two long locks on either side in the front. The professor entered and began taking attendance.
"Chiisai Corana." The professor called.
"Hai!" the girl answered.
~Corana?!~ Kurama thought incredulously. "Corana?" He hissed disbelievingly. Her head whipped around to study him, her brow furrowed. Her eyes widened in recognition.
"It can't be." She hissed back. "Youko?!" It was her turn to be incredulous. "I thought you were dead!"
"Chiisai! Minamino!" The professor barked. "Shall I separate you two?"
"Gomen." They both replied and turned their attention back to the front of the room.
'After class.' Corana mouthed. Kurama nodded.
The lesson seemed to drag on forever. Kurama could tell by the glazed look in Corana's eyes that she wasn't finding the class anymore riveting than he was. They were finally dismissed and the two raced out into the heat of the day. Corana started removing the black over jacket that was part of the guy's uniform, revealing a plain black wife beater. (A/N: I hate using the word wife-beater, so whenever anyone wears a tank top, that's what they're wearing unless I describe it as otherwise.)
"Shimatta. Ningens are a sadistic bunch aren't they?" She grimaced, stripping off the jacket.
Kurama chuckled. "So what brings you here?" he asked.
Corana shrugged. "Thought I'd see if I could find Jin again. We split ways about 50 years ago; I thought it was about time to look him up again. How did YOU end up like THIS?" she giggled.
"Well I almost died and I became the unborn human child of a woman here in Ningenkai. I could have gone back after 10 years, but things happened and I eventually decided I liked being this way." He replied.
Corana grinned. "You always were a strange one kitsune."
"This coming from the freak of the century." Kurama countered. Corana stuck her tongue out at him.
"Where are we going?" She asked, realizing they'd been wandering aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo.
Kurama looked around. "I thought you knew." Corana shook her head and started laughing. Kurama smiled. "Well I have some friends I'm supposed to meet for lunch if you'd like to come along." Kurama offered.
Corana shrugged. "Sure."
He led the way to a nearly empty ramen shop and up to the only people in the establishment. "Everyone, I would like you to meet Corana. She's an old acquaintance of mine from Makai." Corana looked sharply at Youko at the mention of Makai. "Corana, this is Keiko, Kuwabara, Botan, and Yusuke."
"EEP!" At the mention of the last two, Corana ducked behind Kurama and peeked out from a gap she made between his elbow and his side. "Please don't make me go back." She mumbled pitifully, looking at Botan and Yusuke with her big blue eyes.
Kurama laughed at her. "I'll vouch for you." He promised.
She stepped out from behind him, glancing uncertainly from the four seated to Kurama. The four were trying not to laugh at the uncertain demon.
"Relax." Yusuke grinned, stretching. "It's my day off." Corana grinned and the four made room for she and Kurama to sit. Corana sat next to Botan who began to strike up a friendly yet entirely guileless conversation as only Botan can.
"So what is an S-class demon doing in Ningenkai?" She asked.
"The wind is nice here." Corana replied with a soft smile. "And the sun." she grinned.
Botan blinked. "You came here for nature?"
Corana nodded. "I'm not a very aggressive person." Kurama began cough-laughing. "What?" Corana demanded.
"That's not what Kuronue told me." He replied with a grin.
Corana returned his grin. "My sexual prowess has nothing to do with my general intent towards mankind." She replied airily. The other four turned to stare at her.
"Maybe it's better not to investigate THAT topic any further." Botan said.
Corana grinned. "Suit yourself. Back to your question. I can promise you, I do not seek to control ningens or Ningenkai in anyway. I quite frankly don't see the point. I have no desire for power over others."
"It doesn't stop one from noticing you are a fighter." Yusuke pointed out.
Corana looked steadily at him. "Everyone in Makai is a fighter. If you don't fight, you die. And I don't deny that I enjoy a good fight every once in awhile, but I despise killing. Most of the ningens here would die from a few punches, so I have no desire to fight them." She shrugged. Their food was served and she began to eat.
"If it weren't against my honor code to fight women, I could show you a good fight." Kuwabara boasted.
Corana snorted. "Baka. It is stupid to discriminate against an opponent based on gender. Also, you would not last ten minutes in a match against me."
Kuwabara laughed. "You're so tiny! Don't even give me that."
Corana sat back and smirked. "I believe there is a popular ningen saying, it's not the size that counts, it's how you use it."
The four blinked and then Yusuke let out an appreciative laugh. "Good one!" He shouted, banging his hand on the table until Keiko slapped him.
"You are such a pervert sometimes!" She shouted.
Yusuke rubbed his cheek and glowered. Kurama chuckled at the way his lively friend was being received.
"So what kind of demon are you?" Keiko asked.
"Geeze. You guys sure talk about this stuff freely." Corana blinked, and looked around to see if anyone was listening. When she saw no one paying attention to them she answered. "I'm half shadow, quarter wind, and quarter earth. However, my abilities remain in the wind and shadow part of my nature."
"You're all sorts of crazy. And here we thought Hiei was a mutt." Yusuke laughed.
Corana smirked. "Yes. One of the reasons I was nearly killed at birth. So who's this Hiei?" She asked. That successfully took the attention off of herself and the group spent the rest of the meal telling her about themselves and having swordfights with their chopsticks.
They parted ways after lunch. Kurama and Corana heading in one direction to their apartments, Keiko, Yusuke, and Kuwabara heading in the other, and Botan heading back to the Spirit World. Kurama walked Corana to her door and continued on to his own. He was almost home when he got fed up. "Hiei, just come down here and talk if you have something to say." Kurama sighed.
Hiei appeared next to him. "Hn."
They walked in silence for awhile. "What is it Hiei?" Kurama asked calmly.
"Who's the girl?" Hiei asked casually.
"Corana. An old acquaintance of mine from my Youko days." He replied.
"Hn. She was hiding her mind." Hiei told him darkly.
"I'm sure she has her reasons." Kurama shrugged. "She always does."
"Hn."
*****
Corana sighed in relief as she closed her door. She let go of her illusion that made her look like a ningen. Her ears lengthened to a fine point, her hair became a dark blue, she grew fangs, and a black shimmery wave swept across her skin at random intervals. She'd almost broken the illusion on the streets with that jerk trying to poke into her head every five minutes.
"Damn Jiganshi." She muttered and went to her refrigerator. Only one thing would cheer her up now. "Ice cream." She sighed happily and stood trying to decide which carton. She settled on her favorite; Double fudge brownie. (A/N: Anyone who hasn't had double fudge brownie ice cream, you're missing out! It is seriously the best ever!!)
*****
Botan entered Koenma's office. "I just encountered and S-Class demon in Ningenkai." She informed him.
"Her name wouldn't happen to be Corana by any chance?" Koenma replied.
Botan blinked and nodded.
"Yes I am quite aware of her presence." Koenma told his ferry girl. "Her dislike of killing has left her with many enemies in Makai and her records are admirable enough to leave her be. Besides, now she owes me a favor for letting her stay. She may yet prove useful in some way."
~An Old Acquaintance and Some Ramen~
Kurama glanced up at the boy who sat down next to him and then did a double take. First, the boy was a young woman and second, something about her big blue eyes was familiar. She was wearing the boy's uniform and had black hair bobbed short with two long locks on either side in the front. The professor entered and began taking attendance.
"Chiisai Corana." The professor called.
"Hai!" the girl answered.
~Corana?!~ Kurama thought incredulously. "Corana?" He hissed disbelievingly. Her head whipped around to study him, her brow furrowed. Her eyes widened in recognition.
"It can't be." She hissed back. "Youko?!" It was her turn to be incredulous. "I thought you were dead!"
"Chiisai! Minamino!" The professor barked. "Shall I separate you two?"
"Gomen." They both replied and turned their attention back to the front of the room.
'After class.' Corana mouthed. Kurama nodded.
The lesson seemed to drag on forever. Kurama could tell by the glazed look in Corana's eyes that she wasn't finding the class anymore riveting than he was. They were finally dismissed and the two raced out into the heat of the day. Corana started removing the black over jacket that was part of the guy's uniform, revealing a plain black wife beater. (A/N: I hate using the word wife-beater, so whenever anyone wears a tank top, that's what they're wearing unless I describe it as otherwise.)
"Shimatta. Ningens are a sadistic bunch aren't they?" She grimaced, stripping off the jacket.
Kurama chuckled. "So what brings you here?" he asked.
Corana shrugged. "Thought I'd see if I could find Jin again. We split ways about 50 years ago; I thought it was about time to look him up again. How did YOU end up like THIS?" she giggled.
"Well I almost died and I became the unborn human child of a woman here in Ningenkai. I could have gone back after 10 years, but things happened and I eventually decided I liked being this way." He replied.
Corana grinned. "You always were a strange one kitsune."
"This coming from the freak of the century." Kurama countered. Corana stuck her tongue out at him.
"Where are we going?" She asked, realizing they'd been wandering aimlessly through the streets of Tokyo.
Kurama looked around. "I thought you knew." Corana shook her head and started laughing. Kurama smiled. "Well I have some friends I'm supposed to meet for lunch if you'd like to come along." Kurama offered.
Corana shrugged. "Sure."
He led the way to a nearly empty ramen shop and up to the only people in the establishment. "Everyone, I would like you to meet Corana. She's an old acquaintance of mine from Makai." Corana looked sharply at Youko at the mention of Makai. "Corana, this is Keiko, Kuwabara, Botan, and Yusuke."
"EEP!" At the mention of the last two, Corana ducked behind Kurama and peeked out from a gap she made between his elbow and his side. "Please don't make me go back." She mumbled pitifully, looking at Botan and Yusuke with her big blue eyes.
Kurama laughed at her. "I'll vouch for you." He promised.
She stepped out from behind him, glancing uncertainly from the four seated to Kurama. The four were trying not to laugh at the uncertain demon.
"Relax." Yusuke grinned, stretching. "It's my day off." Corana grinned and the four made room for she and Kurama to sit. Corana sat next to Botan who began to strike up a friendly yet entirely guileless conversation as only Botan can.
"So what is an S-class demon doing in Ningenkai?" She asked.
"The wind is nice here." Corana replied with a soft smile. "And the sun." she grinned.
Botan blinked. "You came here for nature?"
Corana nodded. "I'm not a very aggressive person." Kurama began cough-laughing. "What?" Corana demanded.
"That's not what Kuronue told me." He replied with a grin.
Corana returned his grin. "My sexual prowess has nothing to do with my general intent towards mankind." She replied airily. The other four turned to stare at her.
"Maybe it's better not to investigate THAT topic any further." Botan said.
Corana grinned. "Suit yourself. Back to your question. I can promise you, I do not seek to control ningens or Ningenkai in anyway. I quite frankly don't see the point. I have no desire for power over others."
"It doesn't stop one from noticing you are a fighter." Yusuke pointed out.
Corana looked steadily at him. "Everyone in Makai is a fighter. If you don't fight, you die. And I don't deny that I enjoy a good fight every once in awhile, but I despise killing. Most of the ningens here would die from a few punches, so I have no desire to fight them." She shrugged. Their food was served and she began to eat.
"If it weren't against my honor code to fight women, I could show you a good fight." Kuwabara boasted.
Corana snorted. "Baka. It is stupid to discriminate against an opponent based on gender. Also, you would not last ten minutes in a match against me."
Kuwabara laughed. "You're so tiny! Don't even give me that."
Corana sat back and smirked. "I believe there is a popular ningen saying, it's not the size that counts, it's how you use it."
The four blinked and then Yusuke let out an appreciative laugh. "Good one!" He shouted, banging his hand on the table until Keiko slapped him.
"You are such a pervert sometimes!" She shouted.
Yusuke rubbed his cheek and glowered. Kurama chuckled at the way his lively friend was being received.
"So what kind of demon are you?" Keiko asked.
"Geeze. You guys sure talk about this stuff freely." Corana blinked, and looked around to see if anyone was listening. When she saw no one paying attention to them she answered. "I'm half shadow, quarter wind, and quarter earth. However, my abilities remain in the wind and shadow part of my nature."
"You're all sorts of crazy. And here we thought Hiei was a mutt." Yusuke laughed.
Corana smirked. "Yes. One of the reasons I was nearly killed at birth. So who's this Hiei?" She asked. That successfully took the attention off of herself and the group spent the rest of the meal telling her about themselves and having swordfights with their chopsticks.
They parted ways after lunch. Kurama and Corana heading in one direction to their apartments, Keiko, Yusuke, and Kuwabara heading in the other, and Botan heading back to the Spirit World. Kurama walked Corana to her door and continued on to his own. He was almost home when he got fed up. "Hiei, just come down here and talk if you have something to say." Kurama sighed.
Hiei appeared next to him. "Hn."
They walked in silence for awhile. "What is it Hiei?" Kurama asked calmly.
"Who's the girl?" Hiei asked casually.
"Corana. An old acquaintance of mine from my Youko days." He replied.
"Hn. She was hiding her mind." Hiei told him darkly.
"I'm sure she has her reasons." Kurama shrugged. "She always does."
"Hn."
*****
Corana sighed in relief as she closed her door. She let go of her illusion that made her look like a ningen. Her ears lengthened to a fine point, her hair became a dark blue, she grew fangs, and a black shimmery wave swept across her skin at random intervals. She'd almost broken the illusion on the streets with that jerk trying to poke into her head every five minutes.
"Damn Jiganshi." She muttered and went to her refrigerator. Only one thing would cheer her up now. "Ice cream." She sighed happily and stood trying to decide which carton. She settled on her favorite; Double fudge brownie. (A/N: Anyone who hasn't had double fudge brownie ice cream, you're missing out! It is seriously the best ever!!)
*****
Botan entered Koenma's office. "I just encountered and S-Class demon in Ningenkai." She informed him.
"Her name wouldn't happen to be Corana by any chance?" Koenma replied.
Botan blinked and nodded.
"Yes I am quite aware of her presence." Koenma told his ferry girl. "Her dislike of killing has left her with many enemies in Makai and her records are admirable enough to leave her be. Besides, now she owes me a favor for letting her stay. She may yet prove useful in some way."
