Darkspirals: o.O Wow, dizzy. You'll have to be patient on the Hiei/Kohaku thing. It's taken centuries and a near-death experience for Kurama and Hiei to get together. You think my little wolf and our favorite kajihenge are going to start dating in one day?
Kitsune Kit: Just keep reading, shug. Your question will be answered within a couple of paragraphs. n,.,n
Chapter Seven
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Now it's Benjamin's turn to stare, gaze locked on the emerald-eyed boy smiling in the doorway. "Y-Yoko-sama??"
"Never thought you'd get yourself a wife, bachelor wolf."
"Never thought I'd see you in a mortal body, Boss."
"Wait, wait, hold on just a damned minute!" Kohaku demands, waving her hands in front of her. "What is going on?? My father's a wolf demon too?? And he knows you, Kurama?? Someone please explain to me before I have to start breaking things!"
"There will be no breaking of things in this house, young lady," Benjamin tells her sternly, and Kurama has the interesting experience of seeing a fierce martial-artist turn into a meek sixteen-year-old girl. "Now, you three might as well have a seat, since this might take a while--even longer since my retired leader has made an appearance."
Wordlessly the three take seats on the available chairs and settle for what promises to be a good story. Mei takes a deep breath and begins. "We weren't planning on telling you about your demon heritage until Kohaku had reached minor majority, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. First things first, as Granny Sango always says. Kohaku, Koryu, you are full blooded wolf demons of the Blade-arm and Blood Moon packs."
Kurama pales at the though of just how close they'd actually cut the time for the antidote to the demonsbane, when they'd thought they'd had a safety margin of fifteen minutes. To realize that, in fact, they'd had less than five, well...He shivers slightly and returns his full attention back to the conversation.
"--I wasn't lying about being trained since I was little," Benjamin is saying, apparently in response to a questioned posed to him by Kohaku. "The only difference is what I was trained in and for how long. Den-defense since I was seven, and I was recruited into Yoko Kurama's thief-gang when I was one-hundred and seventy-three."
"And as far as I knew, you'd stayed there even after I had 'died'," Kurama comments calmly. Benjamin blushes.
"Well, that was before I met Mei."
"Ah. It's always the women with the thieves, isn't it, Buyuu? That was my downfall, as I recall."
Benjamin shakes his head. "You and Aislin-san, now that was a sight. You, the randiest fox I'd ever met, walking into the Lair with the most dreamy look on your face one day and mumbling about an ice flower worthy of your eternal attentions. And some time later you bring in this slip of a koorime you'd rescued a few months back with the face and body of an angel and the temper of a kraken, declaring her your mate and your heart. Shocked the hell out of the entire Lair, you did."
"So, why's he calling you 'Buyuu', Dad?" Koryu queries in curiosity, cocking his head to one side.
"Heh, that was my thief-name. Most of us had one, to keep Koenma from being able to track us as easily. Aislin had three or four; Aisuhana, Winter Rose, Whiteout, and just plain Aisu. My real name is Benjamin."
"So all those stories you and Mom used to tell us," Kohaku says slowly, "really are true? Every single one of them?"
"We-eelll," Mei drawls with a sly smile to her husband, "most of them are true. Some of them were made up, and some of them tended to be embellished more than they needed."
"Okay," her daughter sighs. "Let me see if I've gotten this straight. All four of us are full-blooded wolf demons. You two met during one of Dad's thieving missions and fell in love over the course of a decade, the decade before Yoko became Kurama here. And you decided to hide in the Ningenkai when you two discovered Mom was pregnant with me 'cause you figured here would be safer. When me'n Koryu were born you used your own abilities to hide our demon blood so we'd grow up thinking we were human--which worked--and Dad got all the necessary paperwork forged for you two to declare yourselves US citizens and get Dad into the Navy. That had the added bonus of giving us a legitimate reason to move a lot so no one would have the chance to notice you and Dad didn't really age."
"Dead in the black, hon," Mei says in approval. "Never let it be said that we raised dunces."
"Naw," Koryu grins, "you just raised a glitter-Goth anime techno junkie and one normal."
"So what now?" Kohaku asks her parents, making a visible effort to restrain herself from smacking her brother. "What's next, now that we know and Hiei's declared me his ward?"
"Well," Benjamin sighs, his ears flattening with the movement before tilting again, "that's what we aren't certain about. Now that you two know, we could go back to the Makai and get you two trained properly in team-work fighting and in Mei's clan's style of rhythmic fighting. I could resign from the Navy and I think I will, anyway--'cause I don't know about you, but I'm tired of staking out new turf every other year or so."
"You mean I can stop getting lost for hours on end?" Kohaku and Koryu both perk up at that.
"That's right, mostly. Every time you go into a new territory that isn't claimed by wolves, you'll still likely end up getting lost. It's just a wolf thing." Mei's shoulders lift up and drop in an expressive shrug and she relaxes back into her chair. "This has gone better than I thought, I'll admit. I thought you two would take it harder than this."
The two wolf-children shrug and look oddly pleased, but Kurama has one more question. "I have something I've been meaning to ask--Baka. He's not an actual dog, is he?" Mei looks mildly uncomfortable.
"Er, no. Baka is actually a guardian-beast, a spirit summoned to help protect the children. He just ended up being a lot more dog-like than we both expected. I've always wondered why he never bothered talking since he's fully capable of it, but never have I been able to fault his abilities." A reproving woof makes everyone look towards the door to find a perfectly-healthy Baka standing in the doorway, tail wagging.
"Just because I never talked to you doesn't mean I never talked," he comments as he walks to the space between Kohaku and Koryu's seats and reclines on the thick carpet. "I talked to these two quite often beyond your hearing, Mei-chan."
Koryu's face is a study of shock. "Hey! That's the voice for Beko-sama! I told you he wasn't just an imaginary friend!"
"Well, I'll be damned," Benjamin breathes, and is rewarded with a wry look from the intelligent golden eyes.
"Considering your record, Benjamin-kun, that is highly likely." Kurama chuckles at the joke and then tilts his head to one side as a familiar 'tapping' is felt on his mental shields. Lowering them, Kurama hears the dear voice of Hiei pour into his thoughts.
/Well, my fox? Was I right about her mother?/ The fox-ningen hears Koryu asking why he's looking off into space and Kohaku's explanation of the two telepaths in the group, and ignores them.
/About her mother, yes. About her father, no. They're all full-blooded wolves, Hiei./
/Kuso! Then that means--!/
/We were cutting it entirely too close for comfort, yes. So what is Genkai-san's opinion about our pretty wolf?/
/She's got the potential, and we have the time. If she wants it./
/I'll let them know./ Hiei falls silent, but remains in contact with Kurama as the red-head returns his attention to the conversation, which had turned to descriptions of Koenma's people. "Ah, if I might interrupt?"
"What's up, Kurama?" Kohaku tilts her head to one side the way a puppy would to get a better look at the world sideways.
"Hiei wanted to let me know what Genkai-san thought of your abilities, and I'm pleased to tell you she was impressed by your skills." An arched eyebrow at the thought of Genkai being impressed by anything has him amending, "As much as she can be impressed by ones such as we, that is. It has been suggested that you become the fifth member for our team, allowing Aislin to be our 'trump card' as it were."
Koryu's eyes gleam. "What kind of team, Kurama? For what?"
"For the Dark Tournament."
----
"No," Mei says flatly. "Absolutely not."
"Why not?" Kohaku asks, looking back and forth between her mother and father. "What's so bad about the Dark Tournament?"
"If you'll allow me to explain?" Kurama looks towards the two adult demons, and they nod, reluctantly. He turns to Kohaku and Koryu and attempts to explain what, exactly, the Dark Tournament is. "The Tournament is a competition among demons for a grand prize of any wish they feel like making. Just one each, thankfully, and only the winning team can make them. It's also about bloodshed. Every team goes in ready to kill their opponents in the messiest fashion possible, as fast as possible.
"There are exceptions. Last year's Tournament had some good-souled demons in it, and they became friends of sorts to us. But those are the exceptions, not the rule, and it's safer to consider anyone but your team to be your enemy. Teams are made of five fighters with one back-up fighter in case of emergency, and the captains of the teams decide the style of fighting before each match. There are four rounds: first, second, semi-final, and final, and blackmail is not uncommon. The other teams will fight dirty, cheat, and use every low-handed trick they can think of to force you out of the competition. There is very little glory in the Tournament--it's all about survival."
"So why fight in it?" Koryu wants to know, and Kurama sighs in annoyance.
"Because we're the 'defending champions'. Thanks to a pretty piece of blackmail performed by a very ruthless demon, we were forced to join the Tournament last year and we had no choice but to win. Especially when one considers how many lives were on the line." At Kohaku's questioning look, he elaborates. "The demon, named Toguro, threatened to kill every single person that we knew if we did not fight and make it to the final round. Having done so, we were not about to lose to him or his team. And now that we are 'defending champions'," his mouth twists wryly on the bitter words, "we must compete again. However, I have the feeling I know what our wishes will be this year--if we actually get to make them, that it."
"I heard about something like that online," Koryu pipes thoughtfully. "A guy blew up a stadium or something before the grand prize could be handed out. Was that the Dark Tournament?"
Kurama nods. "Indeed. A man named Sakyo, owner of Team Toguro, lost a bet with my employer and forfeited his life. He bet his life himself, mind," he adds at the shocked look of the siblings. "And when Koenma would have allowed him to back out of that part of the agreement, Sakyo declined and destroyed the stadium and his research."
"Huh. Seems kind of stupid to me," Kohaku states, doubtful. "But that kind of fighting sounds like an interesting challenge. I'll do it."
"No." The tone of her parents' voices brook no arguments.
"Mom, Dad, I know why you don't want me in this. But look at it this way: it'll prove my abilities and give me a chance to free Hiei from being my guardian. Someone like him shouldn't have to be chasing after a high-energy naïve girl like me all the time, after all."
/Hiei? Good news is, she wants to fight. Bad news is, her parents don't want her to./
/Hn. To be expected./
"Genkai-san has vouched for her potential and abilities. If the world's leading psychic has assured your daughter's chances of survival, then why not allow Kohaku to prove herself? And she's right; fighting in the Dark Tournament would enable the ward-declaration to be annulled."
Benjamin and Mei visibly mull over this nugget of information, giving each other a significant look and sighing in unison. "All right," Benjamin says at last, voice dragging with reluctance. "You can fight, but only if we get a written contract that you come back alive and without anything missing."
"Rather difficult for the Dark Tournament, but we will draw up such an agreement," Kurama pledges solemnly. "Welcome to Team Urameshi, Kohaku-san."
----
"Homework," growls Kohaku at lunch the next day. "Saviors of the Ningenkai, and we still have friggin' homework!"
"Correction," Kurama chuckles, "You have a week and a half's worth of make-up work to complete because of that kidnapping attempt. I have the normal amount of homework that is easily completed within a couple of hours."
"Still!"
"Hey, you two," Aislin sighs, sliding onto the wooden bench next to Kurama and leaning against him with a comforted sigh. "Teachers trying to drown you, miss storm-face?"
"Yes."
"Ah. Poor you. I'd help but I'm feeling too lazy."
"Got cat-demon blood?"
"Yes, but I'm thinking of all that dratted exercise that Koenma gave me as a clean-up mission last night. Lots of work, and precious little to show for it. So, today I'm gonna kick back and watch all you poor suckers have to work."
Kohaku growls in frustration, only making Aislin's smile grow wider. "You suck, Aislin."
"Only certain things." Groaning at the innuendo and the joke, Kohaku returns her main attention back to the stack of make-up assignments her teachers had dumped on her already. By the time school lets out for the day she expects her workload to double, at least. Damned homework. "By the way, Genkai is coming by Koenma's again for another training session for you."
"Gah!" Kohaku throws her hands up, tips the mountain of papers over, and makes a dive to catch them all--only to collide with a solicitous Kurama. Rubbing her bruised skull she groans and glares at the tumbled lot of work with a deadly expression. "Between the teachers here and the teachers in the Reikai, I'm not going to get any sleep or techno-training done at all!!"
"It's the lot of a Spirit Detective, I'm afraid," Kurama informs her, a resigned smile curving his lips upwards. "Each side acts as though the other does not exist, and does its best to drown us with as much work as possible."
"Something tells me I should pull a disappearing act soon," the wolf demon mutters darkly, eyes narrowed at the offending tumble of work. An arched eyebrow from Kurama prompts her to elaborate. "I'm famous back home for being able to disappear very thoroughly when I want to. If I don't care to be found, I'm not."
"Sounds like a certain pair of mix-bloods that I know," Kurama murmurs, shooting a significant glance over at a mock-innocent Aislin.
"Of course, I have to have gone over just about every inch of the territory, first. It helps when I know everything back to front."
"How's that coming?" Aislin pipes, and Kohaku shrugs.
"Pretty good. A rough estimate would have me able to draw a map of about half the city, detailed. Another couple of weeks and I'll have the whole city mapped out."
"Pretty impressive for a wolf pup," Kurama approves, "since most pups aren't let out of the den-area until they're at least forty."
Kohaku looks mortified. "Yuck! One spot for forty years? I may not like moving around, but that's even worse! Sounds like I'll have to start shaking things up when I get to meet my relatives."
"Good luck with that," Aislin purrs, stretching out on the bench and resting her head on a smiling Kurama's lap. "Wake me up when the bell rings." Right on cue, the bell. Muttering black curses, Aislin glares at a smug Kohaku and rises to her feet with Kurama, and the three help pick up Kohaku's schoolwork before heading inside.
----
"Hiei?"
"Hn?" Hiei looks up from his desk in the room he'd claimed as his sanctuary at Koenma's, katana unsheathed on the wooden surface for a session of cleaning. Aislin is hanging against the doorframe, elbow supporting her weight while she leans into the room with concern clouding her glacier eyes.
"Do you know where Kohaku is? Botan dropped us off and then she disappeared."
"Can't you find her?"
"Are you kidding? The girl is as good as her word--when she doesn't want to be found, she won't be. I've been searching for the past hour and a half, and Genkai is getting impatient."
"You say that like it's my problem."
A gusty sigh before he has a mock-mournful koorime draping herself against his back with her arms dangling on either side of his neck. "Hi-iiei! Please tell me where Kohaku is?"
"I have no idea." Aislin face-faults and springs back to her feet with a vein in her forehead pulsing.
"What do you mean you have no idea?? She's your ward, porcupine head!"
He shrugs and continues polishing his sword. "She's improved her shields. I can't break through and I don't really feel like trying. Unless she's in distress, I am not obliged to play nurse-maid."
"What happened to the tormented Hiei who was about to have his head explode?"
"He figured things out."
Throwing her hands up in a gesture of disgust, Aislin whirls and starts stalking out. "Fine! I'll sic Yukina on you, see if I don't!"
A snort. "When she wants to be found, she will allow herself to be. You know as well as I how valuable privacy and space can be. Let her have some, at least for a while longer." Grumbling about certain stubborn males who never change through the centuries, Aislin stalks out the door and slams it shut behind her.
Smirking, Hiei goes back to cleaning his favorite weapon, humming a small, contented tune that sounds suspiciously like 'Love Panic'. After about twenty more minutes, he sheaths his gleaming katana, straps it to his side, and hops out his window, heading for a certain cloud-wood a few miles away, and several miles straight down.
--
"I thought I might find you here," he comments a few minutes later, standing at the base of the cliff dividing King Enma's territory--which includes his palace--from the rest of Spirit World. Several miles to the west lies the River Styx, but between there and here exists a broad expanse of forest. In the tree directly in front of him lazes Kohaku, stretched out on a sturdy branch and leaning against the trunk.
Kohaku glances with mild interest down before resuming her casually relaxed pose. "Oh, it's just you. Thank Kami. You'll actually allow me breathing space."
"You've got Aislin running in circles."
"Serves her right."
"Genkai is not pleased."
"Well that makes one of us."
"Do you even care how much stress you're causing everyone?"
"Do you?" This time her gaze is edged in challenge, and she is rewarded with a smirk as Hiei stuffs his hands into his pockets.
"Not really."
"There you go, then," she tells him, jerking her chin up in invitation. "Come on up, Hiei. The sun feels good right here." Accepting the suggestion implied in her calm voice the fire apparition leaps effortlessly to the high branch and seats himself comfortably just beyond her feet. She's right, he muses, the sun does feel nice with the cool breeze.
Indulging in his cat demon blood, he stretches out on his back on the branch--which is broad enough to nearly pass his shoulders on both sides--and just soaks up the sunlight, the only sounds their quiet breathing and the normal noises of the forest.
He cranes his head upwards long enough to get a good look at her apparel and has to nod in approval. Today she's wearing a black long-sleeved shirt cut to just above her belly; he can see the outline of kunai on each of her forearms since she's got her hands tucked behind her head. Her legs are clad in simple exercise pants, also black, and her feet are shod in worn sneakers. Support bandages wrap her hands and wrists, more are visible above her shoes for her ankles and around what's visible of her stomach--presumably all the way up to her shoulders. A slim belt circles her waist with several box-pouches loaded with more kunai and shuriken. And he'll bet his fur that those chopsticks binding half of her hair up in a bun are bladed.
"Very good, Hiei," she murmurs, noticing his gaze, "but they aren't bladed. They're weighted, made of solid steel. And Mom trained me well in throwing them."
"Hn. So why don't you want to train with Genkai?"
She shrugs, uncertain. "Don't know, really. She's a great teacher and a nice, sarcastic person, but I
don't feel comfortable training under her. She did a wonderful job unlocking my reiki, but..." Another shrug, this one bordering on the helpless. "It just doesn't feel right."
"Hn." He appears to consider something, then decides. If Genkai is not the proper teacher, perhaps..."Train with me, then?"
"Really?" She perks up instantly, eagerness vibrating down her spine. "That'd be cool! You mean it?"
Her childlike response brings a small smile to his lips. "Hn. Sure." His eyes turn serious and he sits up to better look her in the eyes. "But I am no easy taskmaster. Training with me means hard work and lots of it."
"Hn," she chuckles, "hard work never bothered me."
"Aislin mentioned the homework."
She laughs outright this time, swinging out of the tree to the ground. "That's not hard, that's boring! Way too boring!" Allowing the smile to grow, Hiei drops lightly out of the tree and brings his katana chiming from the sheath.
"Training with me is never boring, onna."
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Aw, Hiei's being nice. n,.,n 'Scuse me while I flee said fluff-head's wrath. (runs away laughing)
Starling: She really has too much fun doing that. Anyway, please read and review, thanks!