Promises of the Past pt. 8 Omoide Wo Tsubasa Ni Shite (Turning Memories into Wings)
Jesscheaux stormed into Kizna's room slamming the door behind her. Her eyes glowed with anger.
"How dare you go back down to earth!" she cried angrily ripping the gold mask off Kizna's face. "Dressed like that no less. You look so foolish. I heard of your little plan to attend the Prince's masquerade. You're not going."
"At least I don't look as foolish as you do, Jesscheaux," Kizna screamed. "You never trust anyone, and worse of all, you have a heart of stone."
Jesscheaux growled. She raised her hand ready to strike her Princess. 'Do it, Jesscheaux,' Kizna thought glaring. 'I dare you. Your duty is to me, and if you hit me now, everyone will shun you from this kingdom.'
"Don't you dare hit our Princess, Jesscheaux," a low voice growled.
Jesscheaux turned and gasped. Rei stood behind the closed bedchamber door glaring.
"But, Rei!" Jesscheaux argued. "She's going back down to earth. It's our duty to stop her!"
"Yes," Rei contended glaring at her friend. "But I also said we were not to take any disciplinary action towards our Princess. You disobeyed me. Had I not stopped you, you might have altered the future."
"How is this good for our future?" Jesscheaux screamed. "These men are dangerous, and you know it! Besides, I thought the future couldn't be changed."
"Time has very rigid rules and many loopholes. This is a loophole. There is nothing you can do to stop the future," Rei reasoned sternly. "And as I've told you, there is nothing you can do to change the future. Not with me around. I make sure that Time flows smoothly."
Jesscheaux growled turning away. 'I thought you were my friend, Rei,' Jesscheaux thought bitterly. 'But I suppose you no longer are.' She grabbed Jesscheaux by her arm and slowly led her out of the room. Rei turned to Kizna.
"Do as you wish, Princess," Rei muttered sadly turning her face downward. "I will not keep you from you happiness."
Kizna stared shakily nodding her head. Slowly, Rei and Jesscheaux walked out the door. The others walked inside adorned in masks and costumes.
"What was that all about?" Botan queried curiously staring at herself in Kizna's mirror.
She smoothed the wrinkles in her pink and gold gown.
"Should it matter?" Sakura answered coldly placing a crimson mask on her face. "They're worrying over nothing. As usual."
"Perhaps," Yukina added padding on the carpet in glass-like shoes and a ice-blue and silver gown. "But I've never seen Jesscheaux act like that before."
"Oh," Botan whined running her fingers through the styled curls in her hair. "Let's not have those girls ruin our happiness. It'll spoil the whole night."
Yukina nodded. She tightened the red bow holding half her hair behind her.
"I suppose you're right," she sighed as she ran her fingers through her sea-green locks.
Masked dancers twirled around the large, two-story ballroom. Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara watched from behind their masks.
"When do you think they'll get here?" Yusuke questioned taking a sip of red wine and adjusting his green mask.
"Honestly," Kurama answered resting his head on his hand. "I don't know."
"Prince Kurama," Queen Shiori scolded. "Posture."
"Yes, Mother," he muttered adjusting himself in his throne.
"Eh, let's hope they get here soon," Hiei said coldly tugging at his black mask. "I hate wearing this white tuxedo. The sooner they get here; the sooner we'll dance, and the sooner the party will be over."
"Hiei," Koenma argued sternly. "You know we all have to wear one. It's not so bad."
"Speak for yourself," Hiei muttered as he crossed his arms.
The music suddenly stopped playing. A silence fell over the room. The dancers turned with soft gasps echoing around the room. Prince Kurama and the others looked up to the second story of the ballroom where five masked girls stood atop a grand staircase. One girl wore a intricately designed pink an gold gown with a blue mask on her face as her blue bangs hung in her eyes. 'Botan?' Koenma thought staring. Widely, Hiei stared deep in a crimson masked girl's eyes. His eyes began to wander down her black, strapless gown glittered with red gems. 'Sakura,' he thought breathless. Kuwabara grinned goofily. He stared at a small sea-green haired girl in a silver and ice blue gown with a dainty silver mask on her face. 'Princess Yukina!' His mind cried happily.
"Keiko," Yusuke whispered softly gazing up to a brown haired girl adorned in a royal blue gown and a glittery, yellow mask.
Smiling, Keiko blushed. She ran her fingers through her long locks of brown hair slightly curled at its ends. Prince Kurama studied a girl dressed in light blue and trimmed with white roses standing amongst the others with large white wings on her back. Her eyes twinkled behind a black and gold mask. Kurama wandered through the parting crowd and climbed up the stairs.
"Kizna?" he whispered softly as she nodded. "You came."
"Of course," she whispered smiling. "Did you think I would want to miss this event?"
Kurama smiled. He held his hand out to her.
"Well," he began smiling. "Will you honor me with your company for a dance?"
"Your Highness," she retorted placing her hand in his. "The honor would be all mine."
Kizna stared through Kurama's silver fox mask and smiled. He led her down the stairs with the others following. The dancers on the ballroom floor moved away. Kurama and Kizna stood alone in the center.
Yusuke and the others rushed to Keiko, Botan, Yukina, and Sakura's side.
A waltz wafted around the room filling the air with soft, romantic sounds. Prince Kurama pulled Kizna close and slowly began to lead her in gently twirling circles and box steps. Queen Shiori watched with curiosity. 'Who is that?' She thought quietly. A mischievous smile grew on her face. 'And he says he doesn't want to settle down,' she thought smirking through her dark red mask.
He watched Kizna dance in his arms. Prince Kurama held Kizna tightly dipping her with her long dark locks brushing the ballroom floor. Whispers went around the room.
"Who is she?" a masked woman inquired to the masked man beside her.
"I don't know," the man answered. "But it feels as though she and these girls have came by magic."
Quietly, Botan and the others softly listened to the gossiping whispers around them.
"If they only knew," Botan murmured.
The others chuckled.
"Shall we?" Koenma invited holding out a white gloved hand with his eyes glowing behind his white mask.
"Dance?" Botan accepted smiling. "Of course."
Koenma waltzed Botan out to the ballroom floor. The others joined one by one.
Kohaku stared into the evening sky as she landed softly on Jin's cloud kingdom. She looked up into the dark castle windows and found a silhouetted figure watching her in a candle-lit room. 'Jin,' she thought happily. She rushed into the palace with her white and silver gown rustling. She walked into the palace hall and rushed into Jin's open and waiting arms.
"Kohaku," Jin whispered into her ear softly. "You came."
Kohaku turned up to him and smiled.
"Of course," she whispered.
Her smile grew. Jin smiled offering his arm out to her.
"Come," he invited as Kohaku wound her arm around his. "We have the whole palace to ourselves. So no one will bother us or give you strange looks."
Kohaku smiled. Jin led her down the halls and down to his room. He placed his hands over her eyes.
"Jin.." Kohaku whined. "What you doing?"
"Just surprising you," he sufficed grinning.
They walked into his bedchambers. He removed his hands, and Kohaku's eyes went wide. She looked around the room littered with vases and pots of blue cornflowers. She walked gently on the carpet. Her feet sunk into a layer of silky, blue petals.
"Jin," Kohaku whispered surprised. "These flowers.."
"They're your favorite," Jin finished snaking his arms around Kohaku's waist. "I know."
Grabbing her hand, Jin led her out to his balcony filled with blue cornflowers and zinnias. Kohaku smiled.
"Jin," she whispered. "This is beautiful."
Jin smiled.
"Do you know.." he began pulling her close and whispering into her ear, "what it means to have zinnias around?"
"No," Kohaku whispered as she and Jin began to sway listening to a windy melody. "What does it mean?"
"Eternal love," he whispered. "An eternal love that will transcend time and space, lasting for centuries and beyond the end of time."
Kohaku blushed.
"But," Kohaku began staring up into his blue eyes. "Love always easily falls apart."
"True," Jin responded smiling softly.
He led her around the balcony in a waltz.
"But love can last forever as long as you try and take the chances and risks life has to offer," he continued. "And should we ever be separated just know that we were born to meet each other someday, and we'll meet again. We'll never stop searching until we've found one another. Turn our memories of this life into wings so you can continue living wherever you are."
"Turning memories into wings," Kohaku whispered as she smiled.
"Yes," he whispered back to her as their faces inched closer to one another. "Turning memories into wings. Omoide tsubasa ni shite."
Jin placed his lips on hers. They stood quietly underneath the starry night.
Sighing, she watched from the Time Mists. 'How lucky you are, Jin and Kohaku. How very
lucky you are,' she thought quietly unaware of Fiore's worried eyes. 'My poor, Spirit. What distresses you so?' He thought quietly. He continued watching her hidden by the Time Stream Mists.
(Author's note: well there's chapter eight! But unfortunately, it is not edited. ah well.. Jesscheaux this is for you... : )
They walked on the palace grounds where Kuwabara's eyes went wide.
"What is it?" Yusuke asked. "What's the matter?"
"Bodies..." he whimpered. "There are bodies EVERYWHERE!!"
"What do you mean???" Yusuke retorted. "We cant see a thing!"
Kuwabara looked around seeing the dead, tortured faces of foxes dressed in armor.
"He's right," Kurama added. "This place reeks of death."
He bent down lightly running his fingers through the dirt. He stood holding an old fox skull in his hand.
"I have a feeling this place just might give us a clue to finding Jesscheaux," Kurama began. "And maybe even that lost Princess."
They crept quietly into the palace through one of the screen doors. They stepped into a dark room where Kuwabara sudden ran into some random stuff causing a loud crash.
"SHHHH!!!!" Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei whispered holding up their fingers to their mouths.
"Idiot," Hiei muttered ignoring Kuwabara's glare.
"Sorry," Kuwabara grumbled as he turned to a shadowed shape in the darkness. "What the heck did I trip on?"
Kurama groped the wall looking for a torch until he found one.
"Hiei," he began. "Can you light it?"
"Hn," he replied as he tossed a small flame on the torch making it illuminate the room.
The dimly lit room was filled with treasures. Their eyes went wide... Especially Hiei and Kurama's... aka.. the former demon theives. Hesistantly, Kurama tore his eyes away from the treasures and turned to a fallen picture frame lying face down admist other fine artworks and dust. Huffing, Kuwabara lifted the picture frame to reveal the painting of a beautiful fox with a black tail, black ears, and silver eyes that changed to gold.
She wore a long red robe with large red bell sleeves trimmed in silver and gold. Underneath the robe, she wore knee length pink dress that split up partly through the middle with a longer pink, gold, silver, and red gown flowing underneath her with red and blue ribbons trimming the robe. Her long black hair was done up into complicated twists trimmed with red ribbons, flowers, and a gold tiara. A light pink shawl hung gracefully around her shoulders. In the picture exotic gold eyes shifted partly into silver.
"She's beautiful," Kurama whispered as the others gave him odd looks.
He didn't notice.
"Hn," Hiei snorted. "It must be the Princess. Lets go."
Kuwabara and Yusuke nodded as the three walked out of the room. Kurama followed hesitantly behind casting the painting one last longing look. 'Don't bother, Kurama,' he thought sadly as he followed the others. 'You said it yourself.. She was never seen again.'
With Jesscheaux and Cesca
Outside, they watched the sunrise slowly creep into the palace as they returned to their cells. The D.D.R.'s drinking and binge eating had lasted them the whole night long. They collapsed into their respective beds and fell asleep quickly unaware of the footsteps headed for them.
With the YYH Boys
"I suggest we split up," Kurama said. "This palace is large and we'll cover more ground this way. Understood?"
They nodded and headed down four separate halls.
Kurama continued down a hallway filled with prisoner cells. He stared at the empty ones. 'Creepy,' he thought as he continued walking towards the end of the hall. He came to a cell where a familiar face was sleeping in her bed.
"Jesscheaux," he whispered. "Jesscheaux! Hey! Wake up! It's me!"
Someone in the other cell stirred. Groggily, Cesca sat up and looked out of her cell. Her eyes went wide turning gold as they did so. 'It's him,' she thought as Jesscheaux's inane ramblings ran through her head. 'It has to be.." She sighed. 'She's so lucky,' she thought sighing making the bell around her neck jingle. Kurama's eyes shifted around dangerously.
"Who's there?" He whispered threateningly as he pulled out a rose. "Come out."
"Forgive me," a soft voice from the next cell sadly replied as Kurama turned and gasped. "It's the bell around my neck. I have to wear it. I'm a servant here. I'll get Jesscheaux up for you."
Kurama didn't reply as he stared at the beautiful fox in her cell. The fox reached into her hair and pulled out a small seed. The seed grew into a plant with fragrant purple flowers. The plant moved into her cell as a small purple flower rubbed up against her nose. Kurama watched her as she blushed.
"Jesscheaux," she chimed sweetly. "Jesscheaux. Kazuma is here."
Jesscheaux's eyes snapped open. She hopped out of bed and looked around like an... well.. and obssessed crazed fan-girl.
"WHERE?! WHERE?! WHERE?!" she cried making Cesca and Kurama freak out. "KAZUMA-KUN!!!! COME HERE BABY!! YOUR LOVING WIFE IS WAITING!!"
"Why are you screaming?" Cesca asked as she pointed to Kurama. "He's right here."
"Huh?" Jesscheaux replied. "That's not Kazuma.. That's Kurama. He's just another red-head that's part of the team."
"HUH?!" Cesca cried shocked. "You mean that this handsome, charming, smart, and strong human isn't your husband?!"
Then, O.O, Cesca realized what she had just blurted. She blushed and looked to Kurama worriedly to find him blushing brightly. Jesscheaux smiled.
"Nope," she smirked winking. "He's another red-head that works with my husband, and he's totally single! Plus! He's a youkai kitsune!"
The two foxes blushed. Cesca turned away with a small smile on her face. Then, running footsteps raced down the hall.
"JESSCHEAUX!!!" a familiar voice cried. "JESSCHEAUX! WHERE ARE YOU????!!!!"
"KAZUMA!" Jesscheaux cried growing little hearts in her eyes. "YOU'RE HERE!"
"YES I AM!" Kuwabara cried triumphantly. "I AM THE SOLDIER OF LOVE, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL KAZUMA KUWABARA!!!"
Cesca stared at the two red-heads and did an anime fall. Kurama turned to her worriedly.
"Are you all right?" He asked worriedly.
"Y-yea," she stuttered blushing. "But.. I THOUGHT SHE SAID HE WAS CUTE!"
Kurama smiled sweat-dropping.
"Don't worry," he comforted blushing lightly. "At times the other detectives and I wonder more or less the same thing."
Jesscheaux stormed into Kizna's room slamming the door behind her. Her eyes glowed with anger.
"How dare you go back down to earth!" she cried angrily ripping the gold mask off Kizna's face. "Dressed like that no less. You look so foolish. I heard of your little plan to attend the Prince's masquerade. You're not going."
"At least I don't look as foolish as you do, Jesscheaux," Kizna screamed. "You never trust anyone, and worse of all, you have a heart of stone."
Jesscheaux growled. She raised her hand ready to strike her Princess. 'Do it, Jesscheaux,' Kizna thought glaring. 'I dare you. Your duty is to me, and if you hit me now, everyone will shun you from this kingdom.'
"Don't you dare hit our Princess, Jesscheaux," a low voice growled.
Jesscheaux turned and gasped. Rei stood behind the closed bedchamber door glaring.
"But, Rei!" Jesscheaux argued. "She's going back down to earth. It's our duty to stop her!"
"Yes," Rei contended glaring at her friend. "But I also said we were not to take any disciplinary action towards our Princess. You disobeyed me. Had I not stopped you, you might have altered the future."
"How is this good for our future?" Jesscheaux screamed. "These men are dangerous, and you know it! Besides, I thought the future couldn't be changed."
"Time has very rigid rules and many loopholes. This is a loophole. There is nothing you can do to stop the future," Rei reasoned sternly. "And as I've told you, there is nothing you can do to change the future. Not with me around. I make sure that Time flows smoothly."
Jesscheaux growled turning away. 'I thought you were my friend, Rei,' Jesscheaux thought bitterly. 'But I suppose you no longer are.' She grabbed Jesscheaux by her arm and slowly led her out of the room. Rei turned to Kizna.
"Do as you wish, Princess," Rei muttered sadly turning her face downward. "I will not keep you from you happiness."
Kizna stared shakily nodding her head. Slowly, Rei and Jesscheaux walked out the door. The others walked inside adorned in masks and costumes.
"What was that all about?" Botan queried curiously staring at herself in Kizna's mirror.
She smoothed the wrinkles in her pink and gold gown.
"Should it matter?" Sakura answered coldly placing a crimson mask on her face. "They're worrying over nothing. As usual."
"Perhaps," Yukina added padding on the carpet in glass-like shoes and a ice-blue and silver gown. "But I've never seen Jesscheaux act like that before."
"Oh," Botan whined running her fingers through the styled curls in her hair. "Let's not have those girls ruin our happiness. It'll spoil the whole night."
Yukina nodded. She tightened the red bow holding half her hair behind her.
"I suppose you're right," she sighed as she ran her fingers through her sea-green locks.
Masked dancers twirled around the large, two-story ballroom. Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara watched from behind their masks.
"When do you think they'll get here?" Yusuke questioned taking a sip of red wine and adjusting his green mask.
"Honestly," Kurama answered resting his head on his hand. "I don't know."
"Prince Kurama," Queen Shiori scolded. "Posture."
"Yes, Mother," he muttered adjusting himself in his throne.
"Eh, let's hope they get here soon," Hiei said coldly tugging at his black mask. "I hate wearing this white tuxedo. The sooner they get here; the sooner we'll dance, and the sooner the party will be over."
"Hiei," Koenma argued sternly. "You know we all have to wear one. It's not so bad."
"Speak for yourself," Hiei muttered as he crossed his arms.
The music suddenly stopped playing. A silence fell over the room. The dancers turned with soft gasps echoing around the room. Prince Kurama and the others looked up to the second story of the ballroom where five masked girls stood atop a grand staircase. One girl wore a intricately designed pink an gold gown with a blue mask on her face as her blue bangs hung in her eyes. 'Botan?' Koenma thought staring. Widely, Hiei stared deep in a crimson masked girl's eyes. His eyes began to wander down her black, strapless gown glittered with red gems. 'Sakura,' he thought breathless. Kuwabara grinned goofily. He stared at a small sea-green haired girl in a silver and ice blue gown with a dainty silver mask on her face. 'Princess Yukina!' His mind cried happily.
"Keiko," Yusuke whispered softly gazing up to a brown haired girl adorned in a royal blue gown and a glittery, yellow mask.
Smiling, Keiko blushed. She ran her fingers through her long locks of brown hair slightly curled at its ends. Prince Kurama studied a girl dressed in light blue and trimmed with white roses standing amongst the others with large white wings on her back. Her eyes twinkled behind a black and gold mask. Kurama wandered through the parting crowd and climbed up the stairs.
"Kizna?" he whispered softly as she nodded. "You came."
"Of course," she whispered smiling. "Did you think I would want to miss this event?"
Kurama smiled. He held his hand out to her.
"Well," he began smiling. "Will you honor me with your company for a dance?"
"Your Highness," she retorted placing her hand in his. "The honor would be all mine."
Kizna stared through Kurama's silver fox mask and smiled. He led her down the stairs with the others following. The dancers on the ballroom floor moved away. Kurama and Kizna stood alone in the center.
Yusuke and the others rushed to Keiko, Botan, Yukina, and Sakura's side.
A waltz wafted around the room filling the air with soft, romantic sounds. Prince Kurama pulled Kizna close and slowly began to lead her in gently twirling circles and box steps. Queen Shiori watched with curiosity. 'Who is that?' She thought quietly. A mischievous smile grew on her face. 'And he says he doesn't want to settle down,' she thought smirking through her dark red mask.
He watched Kizna dance in his arms. Prince Kurama held Kizna tightly dipping her with her long dark locks brushing the ballroom floor. Whispers went around the room.
"Who is she?" a masked woman inquired to the masked man beside her.
"I don't know," the man answered. "But it feels as though she and these girls have came by magic."
Quietly, Botan and the others softly listened to the gossiping whispers around them.
"If they only knew," Botan murmured.
The others chuckled.
"Shall we?" Koenma invited holding out a white gloved hand with his eyes glowing behind his white mask.
"Dance?" Botan accepted smiling. "Of course."
Koenma waltzed Botan out to the ballroom floor. The others joined one by one.
Kohaku stared into the evening sky as she landed softly on Jin's cloud kingdom. She looked up into the dark castle windows and found a silhouetted figure watching her in a candle-lit room. 'Jin,' she thought happily. She rushed into the palace with her white and silver gown rustling. She walked into the palace hall and rushed into Jin's open and waiting arms.
"Kohaku," Jin whispered into her ear softly. "You came."
Kohaku turned up to him and smiled.
"Of course," she whispered.
Her smile grew. Jin smiled offering his arm out to her.
"Come," he invited as Kohaku wound her arm around his. "We have the whole palace to ourselves. So no one will bother us or give you strange looks."
Kohaku smiled. Jin led her down the halls and down to his room. He placed his hands over her eyes.
"Jin.." Kohaku whined. "What you doing?"
"Just surprising you," he sufficed grinning.
They walked into his bedchambers. He removed his hands, and Kohaku's eyes went wide. She looked around the room littered with vases and pots of blue cornflowers. She walked gently on the carpet. Her feet sunk into a layer of silky, blue petals.
"Jin," Kohaku whispered surprised. "These flowers.."
"They're your favorite," Jin finished snaking his arms around Kohaku's waist. "I know."
Grabbing her hand, Jin led her out to his balcony filled with blue cornflowers and zinnias. Kohaku smiled.
"Jin," she whispered. "This is beautiful."
Jin smiled.
"Do you know.." he began pulling her close and whispering into her ear, "what it means to have zinnias around?"
"No," Kohaku whispered as she and Jin began to sway listening to a windy melody. "What does it mean?"
"Eternal love," he whispered. "An eternal love that will transcend time and space, lasting for centuries and beyond the end of time."
Kohaku blushed.
"But," Kohaku began staring up into his blue eyes. "Love always easily falls apart."
"True," Jin responded smiling softly.
He led her around the balcony in a waltz.
"But love can last forever as long as you try and take the chances and risks life has to offer," he continued. "And should we ever be separated just know that we were born to meet each other someday, and we'll meet again. We'll never stop searching until we've found one another. Turn our memories of this life into wings so you can continue living wherever you are."
"Turning memories into wings," Kohaku whispered as she smiled.
"Yes," he whispered back to her as their faces inched closer to one another. "Turning memories into wings. Omoide tsubasa ni shite."
Jin placed his lips on hers. They stood quietly underneath the starry night.
Sighing, she watched from the Time Mists. 'How lucky you are, Jin and Kohaku. How very
lucky you are,' she thought quietly unaware of Fiore's worried eyes. 'My poor, Spirit. What distresses you so?' He thought quietly. He continued watching her hidden by the Time Stream Mists.
(Author's note: well there's chapter eight! But unfortunately, it is not edited. ah well.. Jesscheaux this is for you... : )
They walked on the palace grounds where Kuwabara's eyes went wide.
"What is it?" Yusuke asked. "What's the matter?"
"Bodies..." he whimpered. "There are bodies EVERYWHERE!!"
"What do you mean???" Yusuke retorted. "We cant see a thing!"
Kuwabara looked around seeing the dead, tortured faces of foxes dressed in armor.
"He's right," Kurama added. "This place reeks of death."
He bent down lightly running his fingers through the dirt. He stood holding an old fox skull in his hand.
"I have a feeling this place just might give us a clue to finding Jesscheaux," Kurama began. "And maybe even that lost Princess."
They crept quietly into the palace through one of the screen doors. They stepped into a dark room where Kuwabara sudden ran into some random stuff causing a loud crash.
"SHHHH!!!!" Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei whispered holding up their fingers to their mouths.
"Idiot," Hiei muttered ignoring Kuwabara's glare.
"Sorry," Kuwabara grumbled as he turned to a shadowed shape in the darkness. "What the heck did I trip on?"
Kurama groped the wall looking for a torch until he found one.
"Hiei," he began. "Can you light it?"
"Hn," he replied as he tossed a small flame on the torch making it illuminate the room.
The dimly lit room was filled with treasures. Their eyes went wide... Especially Hiei and Kurama's... aka.. the former demon theives. Hesistantly, Kurama tore his eyes away from the treasures and turned to a fallen picture frame lying face down admist other fine artworks and dust. Huffing, Kuwabara lifted the picture frame to reveal the painting of a beautiful fox with a black tail, black ears, and silver eyes that changed to gold.
She wore a long red robe with large red bell sleeves trimmed in silver and gold. Underneath the robe, she wore knee length pink dress that split up partly through the middle with a longer pink, gold, silver, and red gown flowing underneath her with red and blue ribbons trimming the robe. Her long black hair was done up into complicated twists trimmed with red ribbons, flowers, and a gold tiara. A light pink shawl hung gracefully around her shoulders. In the picture exotic gold eyes shifted partly into silver.
"She's beautiful," Kurama whispered as the others gave him odd looks.
He didn't notice.
"Hn," Hiei snorted. "It must be the Princess. Lets go."
Kuwabara and Yusuke nodded as the three walked out of the room. Kurama followed hesitantly behind casting the painting one last longing look. 'Don't bother, Kurama,' he thought sadly as he followed the others. 'You said it yourself.. She was never seen again.'
With Jesscheaux and Cesca
Outside, they watched the sunrise slowly creep into the palace as they returned to their cells. The D.D.R.'s drinking and binge eating had lasted them the whole night long. They collapsed into their respective beds and fell asleep quickly unaware of the footsteps headed for them.
With the YYH Boys
"I suggest we split up," Kurama said. "This palace is large and we'll cover more ground this way. Understood?"
They nodded and headed down four separate halls.
Kurama continued down a hallway filled with prisoner cells. He stared at the empty ones. 'Creepy,' he thought as he continued walking towards the end of the hall. He came to a cell where a familiar face was sleeping in her bed.
"Jesscheaux," he whispered. "Jesscheaux! Hey! Wake up! It's me!"
Someone in the other cell stirred. Groggily, Cesca sat up and looked out of her cell. Her eyes went wide turning gold as they did so. 'It's him,' she thought as Jesscheaux's inane ramblings ran through her head. 'It has to be.." She sighed. 'She's so lucky,' she thought sighing making the bell around her neck jingle. Kurama's eyes shifted around dangerously.
"Who's there?" He whispered threateningly as he pulled out a rose. "Come out."
"Forgive me," a soft voice from the next cell sadly replied as Kurama turned and gasped. "It's the bell around my neck. I have to wear it. I'm a servant here. I'll get Jesscheaux up for you."
Kurama didn't reply as he stared at the beautiful fox in her cell. The fox reached into her hair and pulled out a small seed. The seed grew into a plant with fragrant purple flowers. The plant moved into her cell as a small purple flower rubbed up against her nose. Kurama watched her as she blushed.
"Jesscheaux," she chimed sweetly. "Jesscheaux. Kazuma is here."
Jesscheaux's eyes snapped open. She hopped out of bed and looked around like an... well.. and obssessed crazed fan-girl.
"WHERE?! WHERE?! WHERE?!" she cried making Cesca and Kurama freak out. "KAZUMA-KUN!!!! COME HERE BABY!! YOUR LOVING WIFE IS WAITING!!"
"Why are you screaming?" Cesca asked as she pointed to Kurama. "He's right here."
"Huh?" Jesscheaux replied. "That's not Kazuma.. That's Kurama. He's just another red-head that's part of the team."
"HUH?!" Cesca cried shocked. "You mean that this handsome, charming, smart, and strong human isn't your husband?!"
Then, O.O, Cesca realized what she had just blurted. She blushed and looked to Kurama worriedly to find him blushing brightly. Jesscheaux smiled.
"Nope," she smirked winking. "He's another red-head that works with my husband, and he's totally single! Plus! He's a youkai kitsune!"
The two foxes blushed. Cesca turned away with a small smile on her face. Then, running footsteps raced down the hall.
"JESSCHEAUX!!!" a familiar voice cried. "JESSCHEAUX! WHERE ARE YOU????!!!!"
"KAZUMA!" Jesscheaux cried growing little hearts in her eyes. "YOU'RE HERE!"
"YES I AM!" Kuwabara cried triumphantly. "I AM THE SOLDIER OF LOVE, THE GREAT AND POWERFUL KAZUMA KUWABARA!!!"
Cesca stared at the two red-heads and did an anime fall. Kurama turned to her worriedly.
"Are you all right?" He asked worriedly.
"Y-yea," she stuttered blushing. "But.. I THOUGHT SHE SAID HE WAS CUTE!"
Kurama smiled sweat-dropping.
"Don't worry," he comforted blushing lightly. "At times the other detectives and I wonder more or less the same thing."