| Raven's Pendant
A WEIB KREUZ-YU YU HAKUSHO CROSSOVER FANFIC |
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Part 2 - Unlikely Friends "Schuldig-niisan!" Kurama called out as he came around the corner. They were supposed to meet for tea and cakes and the kid was a bit tardy today. "Kurama-chan, slow down a bit, I'm not going anywhere." Kurama had told Schuldig about his nickname a month after their acquaintance. He had been using it constantly ever since then. "Hai. Sorry about being late." "After all, it's only been half an hour…" Schuldig teased. "Sorry about that. I had some business to finish with my project team mates in one of my classes and 'niichan insisted…that I stop by…" Kurama trailed off, running out of breath. "You never told me you had an elder brother before…?" "Oh he's a new development in my life. I found out recently that I was originally an illegitimate child and that I had an older brother and sister still living…" "So are you going to introduce us sometime?" Schuldig teased again, trying to keep the jealousy he felt out of his voice. It was fun to tease the kid since the youngster always managed to give as well as he got. Kurama-chan had become the younger brother Schuldig never had, a brother, unlike Nagi, brother who understood the German and his games. Don't get me wrong I do love Nagi… It's just that…he could be such a stick sometimes… He spent too much time with Crawford I think…too straight, by-the-book… Nagi was silent and bookish, shy even, but Kurama… Kurama could flirt like something awful and often accompanied Schuldig now and again when studies permitted to bars. They also sparred, hand to hand. They liked the same music and often compared notes on caustic observations of people. It constantly amazed the German to note that the kid was also a straight-A student in his classes. Where does he get the time, I wonder? Brains, beauty and spunk…that's my little Kurama-chan… The appearance of this elder brother was an unwelcome intrusion to their friendship. Oh well, if I don't like him, I can just freakin' off him. What Kurama-chan doesn't know can't hurt him… Schuldig had been prudent enough not to let the kid know about what he really did for a living, passing it off as being a bodyguard to important men. Nor did he let it slip that he had powers. He never used them around the kid anyway. He liked the younger redhead too much for that. "You don't have to wait long to know at any case. He's picking me up after we have tea…" "But what about our date to go watch a movie?" "I'm sorry about that but Ran-niichan wants me to spend the rest of the afternoon with him. Anyway, let's go have tea. Wait'll you hear what Akira did today…" Schuldig allowed himself to be pulled along and carried into the world of schoolwork and collegiate relationships. One thought floated up before being submerged again in the chatter… Ran…Ran…wasn't that Abyssinian's real name? *** "Konichiwa, Kurama-chan. Ready to go to the park?" Aya asked as he came to the booth where Kurama was talking with a friend. "Aa, 'niichan, but first I want you to meet my friend. He's expressed interest in knowing you." Kurama said. "H--nnn…" Aya grunted into horrified silence as he saw who it was Kurama was speaking with. "Ran-niichan, this is Schuldig. Schuldig-niisan, this Fujimiya Ran, my aniki." Kurama introduced them cheerfully. "Charmed, I'm sure." The annoying German nodded his head at Aya and offered his hand. Aya stared at it like a snake but took it, shook it and let go with the enthusiasm of going to his own funeral. "Is there anything wrong, 'niichan?" Kurama asked, blinking. He obviously felt Aya's unease. Am I that transparent? No, it's just Kurama-chan. He's shown more perception and feeling towards me than most people… Aya saw the amusement dance in the German's blue eyes. Bastard, you must really be enjoying this… Green eyes stared at him with confusion. "Hn." Aya meant it in an assuring manner but it came out rather constipated. "I repeat, is there something amiss?" "No, there's nothing wrong, Kurama-chan." The German bastard mocked Aya with the evenness of the tone it was uttered but he couldn't think of a suitable rejoinder. Not without giving the game away to Kurama, which will, in effect, put him in the line of fire… What am I thinking, he's already within firing range! How can Schuldig know of him--damned telepath, been in and out of our minds lately, haven't you? Well you're not going to take him away from me, too… Aya felt protectiveness and affection run through him more than he thought were possible for someone who he just met a week ago...but then, Kurama-chan was different…so sweet and innocent, he just made one so protective… : Can it Abyssinian, I didn't know until today that the kid was your little brother… Give it a break. : And now I suppose that you know…you're going to run off to Crawford with this information… The panic in the thought was very much evident though Aya tried his damnedest to sound his usual imperturbable self. He just couldn't lose the little brother he had just found so soon. Not the way, I lost my imouto-chan… : No, strange as it may seem. I'm not going to, so stop it already. : Schuldig answered his "unspoken" thought. : And why not? : It projected loud enough to be a shout. : Because strange at it may seem. I also like Kurama-chan. : *** : Like as in… : *Not my little brother…* Schuldig nearly fell out of his seat when he had first read Aya's thoughts of Kurama-chan. Sweet and innocent…why Kurama-chan, you shouldn't play with your 'niichan that way… The Kurama Schuldig knew was anything but innocent. Sweet, sweet wasn't quite applicable either. He's nice but he's too lively to be sweet, spicy as chili peppers, yes. He felt totally jealous of Abyssinian. It was the man's right to feel protective of Kurama and that made him irritable. The horrified overtones in the thought-voice took the cake, though. He wasn't about to let on that he himself was quite appalled by the idea. : Hmmm, he is a hottie… : : Not for you! : : Relax. I don't like him that way. : It will probably be too much to ask that he believe me… : And how can I be sure of this? : : You can't. But I do love him like my own baby brother. : Schuldig could see that didn't go over any better than the other insinuation. *He's my baby brother…not yours! Keep your filthy paws off of him…you're a murderer… You shouldn't contaminate someone as innocent as Kurama-chan… What am I talking about…I am a murderer…* Jealousy warred with relief in the Weiß redhead's mind. It made the smirk on Schuldig's face widen. "Shall we go to the park, then?" Kurama asked, unwittingly breaking the silent volley of thoughts. "Aa, can I go with you?" Schuldig countered. I wonder what he would make of that… *** "Ran-niichan, shall we get some ice cream?" Kurama asked as they got into the park. "Hn." It was an affirmative. It was a rather awkward moment when his new brother refused to let his gaijin friend join them in the park. Though he felt comfortable with the man, more so than he thought possible, he was still at a loss as to what he could do with the other yet. He reminds me of Hiei… All that hn's and the quiet protective attitude… Reminds me, I think there's something 'niichan's not telling me and Schuldig-niisan as well… There was definitely a tense moment there in the café… My half-brother definitely knows but doesn't trust him…something is definitely wrong there… They got their ice cream cones and sat on the grass under one of the numerous cherry trees in the park. It was the wrong season for blossom watching but they looked through the verdant leaves all the same. "Do you like your work in the Koneko?" Kurama inquired, trying wildly to find a topic to talk about. With Hiei, it had been easy… Talk about fighting or Yukina and everything else will come after… Should I talk to him about gardening? Florist arrangements? The meaning of flowers? No, it would cause too many questions… "Hn." So and so… "How're Omi-kun, Ken-kun and Youji-san?" "Hn." Fine. What else am I going to talk about next? *** "You're in college…?" Aya asked tentatively, his tone finishing the sentence for him. It took awhile for him to settle down after the shock of seeing Schuldig with Kurama-chan like that. As it was, he felt his hackles were still half-raised and the sourness of doubt still in his mouth. Not that I can do anything much about it… Manx had made it pretty clear that Kritiker could only give minimal protection over the youngster. "Aa, I'm taking up pre-med course. I want to be an internist someday." Kurama answered after snarfing down the ice cream. "Hn." It's certainly better than being an assassin… I hope Schuldig wasn't giving you any strange ideas… "When am I going to see Aya-neesan?" The non sequitur got Aya when he didn't expect it. He choked on a mouthful of cone. The honorific was as much to blame as the necessity for explaining the current situation. Kurama was only a month or two younger than Aya-chan but he used the title nonetheless. What brought that on…? Right I told him about Aya-chan being unconscious but we were interrupted before I could tell him that she had been kidnapped… "And when are you going to go over and meet 'Kaasan and 'Tousan?" Aya nearly choked again. That was something I was trying to avoid… Really… "Well, about your Aya-neesan…" Aya took about the difficult task of explaining what happened to Aya-chan. Though, the mixture of truth and lies he had to dish out made him nearly ill, he didn't relish having to think to tell the little one the truth about his gaijin friend… Not when Kurama-chan and that bastard seem to be on very close terms… *** "Thanks, Botan-chan. Is that a new kimono? It looks fetching on you." Kurama said, giving the blue-haired spirit guide a charming smile as she floated on her oar outside his window. Botan was wearing a flowery blue kimono that was a couple of shades darker than her hair. Kurama noted detachedly that it really did suit her. He presented the girl with a blue rose for her trouble. Not that she's my type… Wouldn't that put a cat amongst the pigeons--or maybe the correct term would be a fox amongst the rabbits? Hiei and Yomi would certainly have a fit… Kurama may not care for the girl that way but that didn't preclude him turning on the charm. He didn't earn the title of "Sweet Red Rose of the Makai" for nothing. Though the sweet part was something debatable, he did have two of the seven most powerful youkai competing for his attentions. "It was no trouble at all, Kurama-kun. It's so sweet." Botan replied. Her blue eyes widened as she blushed. She backed her oar to fly up into the sky again. Yoko the Seducer hasn't lost his touch, I see… That word again, bah! The fox was amazed at how some people still saw him as sweet and gentle when they knew of his reputation as the Silver Fox. He was oldest known silver in the Makai and you don't survive in the Demon World when you're clanless by being a cream puff. Silvers were always outcast by virtue of their color. Sure the Human World had softened some of his edges but he was still far from being "sweet". "Sweet" won't get you anywhere with Yomi either. The adjective is an equivalent to "toy" in the Horny One's vocabulary. A pair of big green eyes and an artless smile… Sheesh! Good thing the Makai's civilized these days… This new generation wouldn't survive a year, a thousand five hundred years ago…but back to the matter at hand… Kurama sighed as he looked at the answer to his "research questions". The spirit guides and oni of the Rekai were not allowed to divulge entire life files even to their Tantei but some questions can be used to ferret out most data if one knew how to ask them. As a five-thousand-year-old kitsune, he had more practice than most. He got his answer and it wasn't very pleasing. So… He is a member of Schwartz, which is part of Estet… Estet, the organization that has an execution order pending in the files… Schuldig…Schuldig-niisan, how am I going to get you out of this? I knew you must have been hiding something since you never were forthcoming about certain details of your life… But this? This goes beyond my expectations… He really liked the gaijin bastard a lot and counted him as a true pack mate in a way. Hn, you're getting soft, caring for a human that way… He could almost hear his youko side's deep voice in concert with Hiei's voice accuse him. So be it, he was used to it. He faced the same qualms when he faced the fact that he did care for his human mother. It wasn't as if he had been an uncaring bastard in the first place… Even Yoko had his attachments though his old self had been very careful of them. Getting attached to Mayfly humans isn't wise… "I know that, so stop it already." Kurama murmured to himself. That reminds me of the next problem this entails… The kitsune flipped over another piece of paper, scrutinizing the information on it. 'Niichan's also into this neck deep…though he's on the side of angels, so to speak… Weiß Kreuz Team Leader Abyssinian--he uses the sword, as well. He really does remind me of Hi-chan… No wonder he hates Schuldig-niisan so. Estet is suspected of hiding away Aya-neesan… Not that I could really hate Schuldig for what he did… His "Aya-neesan" was just a name to him, not truly real yet except for the pain she caused in Ran-niichan. And the small matter of her being the sacrifice, that is… Besides, she may never wake up. She might even have moved on…Truly a dead shell by now…being five years in a coma… Hope is a wonderful thing but sometimes overrated… The cold logical part of the redheaded fox analyzed and found balance in the situation. *** "…And furthermore, you should stop these late night jaunts, you haven't…" Haven't flubbed a mission yet but it only takes time…yes, Papa Crawford… It was another day in the Schwartz safe house and Schuldig was getting another lecture for his aggravating ways. He sat on the chair moving his legs back and forth rocking it on Crawford's desk. Whoopee-doo… Knock. Knock. Who would be knocking at our door at this hour? "Naoe, get the door." "Lack of sleep and discipline…" Yada…yada… The sound of the door opening then a familiar voice… Is that Kurama-chan? How can he know where we live… "Nagi-kun, you forgot...dropped it today…" "…want…come in…?" "Thanks, I could use the tea…" Please don't let him see me…. Please don't let him see me… Please don't let him see me… "Schuldig-niisan!" Kurama glomped onto him tightly. I'm dead… *** Kurama grinned secretly as he glomped onto Schuldig. He knew his innocence act was one of the best and was looking forward to seeing his friend's incredulous face. He needed to be close to Schwartz to implement the plan he had thought out. Close and not get killed…that is… The fox knew it was tricky. Hence the ploy, as long as the Black Team thought he was innocent the longer he would have to see if he could spare them their lives according to the new deal he had worked out with Koenma-sama… It should work…it's the best I could have done for Schuldig-niisan… *** "Koenma-sama, sorry to disturb you from your work." Kurama said bowing. "What is it, Kurama?" The toddler looked up the ever-present paper pile warily. People get suspicious of a submissive fox… I suppose… "Shouldn't we punish only the ones who are guilty. I mean human organizations are large and most members don't really know what leadership is doing." "Aa, but the Reikai Tantei have better things to do than winnow through Estet." "Let me do that to my assignment at least." "And you propose which team as your assignment?" Koenma asked shrewdly, looking more and more uncomfortable by the moment. What does he know that I don't? "Schwartz." Koenma sputtered. "Is there something wrong?" Kurama asked silkily, his eyes narrowed in one of his more dangerous expressions. It took Kurama some time to think this potential scheme to get Schuldig free of the execution order. He wasn't going to just give it up without a fight. "N-Nothing." Koenma replied. "So can I take the assignment?" "N--Yes, you can." Koenma replied. There is really something going on that he doesn't want me to know about… Oh well, as long as I get Schuldig-niisan out of the trap… "Thank you, Koenma-sama. Rest assured that I will work with discretion…" Kurama bowed out as Koenma wiped the sweat that collected on the toddler's brow. *** "Who is this?" Crawford demanded. His tone promised pain if the question remained unanswered for long. "Uh, Crawford-san, this is Minamino Shuuchi, an upperclassman in Tokyo University. Minamino-kun, this is Brad Crawford, my guardian." "Schuldig--" I knew he was asking me not Nagi… "He's a friend of mine." Schuldig said, crossing his fingers that Kurama wasn't going to mention Abyssinian. Please not that or I won't be able to weasel myself out of this mess… "Schuldig-niisan and I met in a bar." Kurama said, meeting the frosty blue eyes evenly. I'm proud of you, Kurama-chan… You certainly have courage… I hope he's not going to have you killed for your presumption… *** Crawford stopped from scolding Schuldig to see a cartoon red haired missile glomp on the German. What is he doing? He shouldn't be giving our address to his "friends"… Irritated, the precognitive had asked and gotten an answer from an unexpected source. Naoe, you should know better than to let a stranger in…or is this a conspiracy--? "Schuldig--" A friend of yours typical… The girl's answer was lost a moment later when depthless green eyes met Crawford's. Those eyes…a flash of fleeting gold passing through them… "Kurama-chan, aren't you going to let me go anytime soon?" Déjà vu fractured into a thousand sparkling shards glowing for the moment in the air then melting like snowflakes in the cold winter sunlight. The aftereffect sparked against his eyelids before fading. Probably just a vision… She is a lively child…but still a child… Have you gone to molesting under aged girls in your boredom, Schuldig? "Hai, so this is where you live." Lively curiosity backed the words. Green eyes sparkled. "So do you like it, Kurama-chan?" "Aa. Can I visit you?" "I only live here. Crawford?" "Hai. She can visit." The words came out of the American's mouth before he could fully think of what he was saying. "She? Um, Crawford-san, I'm a boy and I'm here. You can talk to me face to face, you know." Shuuichi retorted before Crawford could say anything. Insolent teenager… Irritation cleared out the rest of the odd premonition and the American got back to his work without another thought. ~TBC~ Review this Fic... |
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though not the works that are the basis of the fanworks |
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