Well, everyone, this is the final chapter of Spring's Fire. Hope you enjoyed the ride, and please don't kill me. It had to end eventually.
Kitsune Kit: You say it exactly like you read it. 'Da-shen-ai'.
Asilin Kheldarson: No, passing mention is all that particular character gets. I just wanted something to cause more trouble for the gang--a random two-bit shadow-guy seemed to fit the bill pretty well. He's dead though, so he doesn't need a name or anything.
Darkspirals: Uh, you do know that bush is part of Kurama's garden, right?…
Lachwen: No, no relation. I needed a name for a second girl in Fox's Mischief, and 'amber' suits the main character's coloration here.
No name: Hah, I fear no angry mob! For I have a clan of bishie ninja foxes at my disposal! I stole them personally from my friend Elliot, with his permission. n,.,n-!
Magus784: You should have learned by now that Aislin is very vindictive when it comes to people hurting her friends, even indirectly. Yin doesn't stand a chance.
Sera: I'm glad you liked Winter's Rose, but I'm afraid you have bad timing. This is, as I mentioned, the last chapter for this fic.
Chapter 20
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About an hour later the fighters begin to wake up, groaning and looking around warily for their assailant. All they find are wolf demons guarding doors and windows--for the fighters, not against them. Unsurprisingly, Kuwabara of the ungodly stamina wakes first, jolting upright and nearly falling off the cot at the sight of a scornful Hiei with his Jagan open and watching.
"Jeez, ya prick! That's no way ta wake a guy up!"
"Hn. See if I care, oaf." And he turns on his heel and stalks off. Not that he admits it even to himself, but Kuwabara is the one he worries about most--mortality and low skills are a bad combination in a profession such as this.
Aislin is the next to rouse and brains the guardian wolf as she comes awake all at once, not realizing until after the male is crouched on the floor clutching at his ringing ears that he's not an attacker. "Oh. Oops. Sorry about that."
"Iite!"
Yin and Yan aren't going to be waking up anytime soon. Between them they have broken ribs, a broken jaw, and a couple of punctured organs. If they weren't full youkai they'd have died from their injuries quite quickly. As it is, it will take them a while to heal enough to wake. Shadow stands guard for them instead of the wolves, one metallic eyebrow rising in a sardonic expression when the offer was made to help protect them.
Akira is also severely wounded but he'll live--the slash on his arm has been joined by several broken bones and a matched set of furrowed claw marks across chest and back. Blood-loss is a concern, but a mild one.
It's Kohaku Hiei is most concerned for now that Kuwabara is awake. She lies on her cot in the Team's locker room like the dead, chest barely rising and falling with her shallow breaths. Even the energy Hiei was able to transfer to her doesn't seem to have helped, and he dares not leave them open to attack by going into Kohaku's trance to help her. He can only pray that she doesn't fall.
Then again, the fact that she'd been driving claws into metaphysical granite instead of relying on unstable rocks for holds gives him some measure of comfort. She hasn't spoken to him since the comment about avoiding her last 'fight' and he's not quite certain he'd know how to respond now if she does. Four times he's failed to stop someone from causing harm to her, and that's no good.
The fire apparition sits in a chair beside the wounded ookami while her clan's rain-callers do their best to heal the gory wound still gaping just under her sternum. The scent of blood wars with that of burnt meat and fur in the air, making Hiei's nose itch while he considers the options. Yusuke and Mushinen are still groggy but awake in the healers' tent two floors above. The Final Round is set to resume in thirty minutes.
A glance to the side makes him wince and turn away, unable to bear the sight of all that crimson staining the pure white of the silk and dulling the trimmings. Kurama and Aislin are above, keeping Kuwabara in check, and once the wolf healers leave he's all alone with his ward, listening to the faint but steady sound of her breathing.
With a miserable groan Hiei leans forward and buries his face in his hands, nose still filled with the distressing scent of pain and the wildflower perfume the wolf-girl always wears. "I'm pathetic," he whispers to the air, slender fingers moving to trap his head-spikes. "What kind of guardian am I to let my ward get hurt so much?"
Too slow, his inner voices taunt. Too slow, too careless, too stupid. You're no kind of guardian. You're worthless, hopeless, weak.
From nowhere memory arises and knocks the darkness away. A sweet smile underneath eyes the color of new willow leaves, half hidden by a loose mane of milk-chocolate hair. "Oh no, I've got losta hope! I just have to dig it out of a closet somewhere!" That lazy smile she'd given him the first time she'd pulled 'a disappearing act' inviting him to join her in her delinquency. The eagerness when he'd offered to train her himself and the surprises she'd pulled to take him off-guard. "Nobody should go through life not having much fun!" Her face when she'd seen him dressed for a rave the first time. The way he's seen her watching him train, chin usually propped in hands with her eyes filled by content interest. All the times she's fallen asleep on him--literally--like he's her favorite childhood toy.
The way she'd chased off the three youkai women in the lounge that night, declaring that he was hers and hers alone. That ridiculous chant she and the boys had come up with when Kurama had beaten that French whip-user. The way she can predict what he's going to say before he says it. Her laughter at his exasperation and her fearlessness in the face of his worst tempers.
The way she'd cuddled up to him last night--was it only last night?--and had refused to release him until morning. The rush of her power when she'd called it in the ring earlier this afternoon and the utter trust she'd placed in him to save her from those robed beings. Her blush, that gloriously adorable blush when he'd told her flat-out that he enjoyed pulling her tail out of the fire. That aggravating smirk when she'd booted him out of her trance. More smiles, more laughter, more moments to treasure. In all the time that he has known her, he can hardly think of any instance where she'd done anything but smile at him. But this is his fault…"So don't do what you always do and blame yourself." "How do you know what I'm going to say before I say it, hm?" "Because you're predictable that way." "Hn!"
"Well, damn, you look like hell ran you over with a couple of semis before backing up and doing it again." Hiei's reverie dissolves and he stares down into the bronze eyes of an awake Kohaku.
"Baka," he scolds her gently, brushing hair out of her face, "you should still be trancing."
Confusion fills her face and she attempts to sit up. "What are you talking about? I hit the summit not ten seconds ago." Pain peels back her lips and she collapses back on the cot, Hiei's hands locked around hers to prevent her from tearing at the bandage. Her voice comes in pants, "What the…fuck?"
"Calm down, baka," her protector soothes as the tightness leaves her shoulders and she relaxes against the blankets. "You've probably healed all that you can for now; I can barely sense your energy." A quick sniff reassures him that her wound hasn't reopened. "Rest. Sleep. Time will restore everything."
Carefully taking a deep breath Kohaku lets it out slowly, letting her eyes drift shut again. "Sleep sounds good."
Juri's voice blares over the speakers. "Ladies and gentlemen, the healers have just finished looking over our two final contestants and have declared them fit to fight. Please resume your seats, the match will resume in five minutes. I repeat, please resume your seats. The match will resume in five minutes."
Hiei stays where he is. One long-lashed eyelid cracks open. "What are you waiting for, fluff-head? Get going. Yusuke needs a cheering section that isn't calling for his blood."
Exasperated once again at the behavior of this bewildering wolf girl Hiei snorts. "I doubt that."
"I'm not gonna die on you, Hiei Jaganshi. Scoot."
Instead, Hiei leans down and kisses her forehead. "Baka ookami. Why did you ever let me be your guardian for so long if you can take care of yourself?"
The reply is hazy with exhaustion. "'Cause you're so damned cute."
"Hn." Affection fills that snort. "Then I'll stop being your guardian and start being your paramour. How's that?"
"Deal." And her breathing once again steadies into the long rhythm of sleep. Within him, Hiei can feel the guardian link stretching before it dissolves away. With one more glance at the sleeping fighter Hiei slips towards the door.
"I'll be back soon, Kohaku. Stay put until then." A familiar sleep-talker's mumble is the response as the fire apparition gently shuts the door behind him. To the two muscular wolves standing on either side in the hall, Hiei gives a simple order. "No one goes in but me. And you'd better check to make sure it's me. Understood?"
"We may be brawn, Hiei-kun," the grey-brindle tells him comfortably--they'd started calling him 'kun' when they'd learned Kohaku had designated him as pack--leaning on a heavy spear, "but we aren't stupid. Go give your human friend a couple cheers for us, 'kay?"
"Hn."
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"Okay, people, now for what you've all been waiting for! The final match of the Dark Tournament!" The usual assortment of howls meet Koto's declaration as she waves her hand to signal the fighters. From a door on her left Yusuke steps out with most of his team arrayed behind him, their faces grim. In silence all but Yusuke split away and walk to the banks of seats claimed by the wolves and join them.
From the door on Koto's right, Samuel Mushinen emerges alone--his companions, with the exception of Shadow, are down for the count and will be for quite some time. The only sounds as the two males enter the ring are the encouraging shouts or jeers from the audience; the wolves and the fighters are silent. Up in the seats, Botan is shifting uncomfortably on the cement bench, eyes darting in nervous motions around her.
Shizuru notices and leans over. "Hey, Botan, what's up?"
The ferry-girl sends her an edgy smile. "Oh, nothing really. I just have the feeling I'm forgetting to do something, that's all." Skeptical, the human woman lets it go and returns her attention to the ring.
Keiko snorts, sitting back with her arms crossed over her chest. "Why are they even bothering? This guy's no Toguro--Yusuke will beat him easy."
Sango gives the girl a disapproving frown. "Don't be so sure of yourself, young lady. Strength means nothing if you've got leverage." Hiei hides a wistful smirk behind his usual blank mask. Now he's certain where his amber-wolf gets the attitude from.
"Fighters, you know the rules! Surrender, death, and unconsciousness are the only ways to end this match! Preferably the second method or third as the next best thing. On your mark! Ready! Begin!"
The tumult of noise reaches even down below without the aid of the speakers to the bloody form lying on a cot. Cloudy, unfocused bronze eyes drift open and Kohaku stares at the ceiling while half-listening to the exuberant commentary from Koto and Juri.
"Wow, did you see that?? I'd say that was at least forty punches in two seconds!" "Actually, Koto, the meter says that was fifty-two in one point nine five seconds." "Whatever! What wonderful violence! I can hear the bones breaking all the way from over here!" "The move Mushinen just used is known as the Hangman's Axe and is quite devastating as you can see from its effects on Urameshi." "I'll bet that one's got the bells ringing! Check out that wicked uppercut to the chin by Urameshi!" "Now Mushinen counters with a roundhouse that connects solidly and sends Urameshi flying from the ring."
To herself, Kohaku murmurs, "Thank you for choosing Mushinen Airlines for your impact needs."
Above, Botan suddenly smacks her palm with a loose fist, face brightening. Shizuru leans over again while keeping her cigarette from dropping embers on anyone. "Remember?"
"Yes! Do tell me what I miss, I'll be right back!" And the blue-haired girl leaps to her feet and heads up the aisle steps at a fast trot. Once she reaches the hall, however, that bright expression falls away to reveal a much sadder one. With unhappy, efficient footsteps Botan makes her way into the depths of the stadium.
Koenma meets her halfway to her destination and they walk together. Botan breaks their silence first. "Sir…must we?"
The teenage-bodied ruler sighs around his trusty blue binky. "Yes, Botan, I'm afraid we must. We have no choice."
Yusuke shoves Samuel into the cement with a devastating Spirit Gun shot and a quick slam to the gut, leaping back to see if that's done it. It's been a long five minutes that seems to have stretched itself into eternity. But Samuel does not get to his feet. Koto races forward and holds her mike up. "One! Two! Three!"
With every count the two solemn emissaries from Spirit World draw closer and stop in front of the door guarded by two wolves. "Let us pass," Koenma says quietly just as the count reaches seven. The two males just seem to swell as they move closer together.
"Not a chance, Koenma-sama. We're under orders by a pack-mate, and he's got rank on you."
"I am Prince of Reikai."
"Nine!"
"You aren't pack."
"Ten!" The sound of footsteps over the speakers and Juri's voice joins Koto's. "We declare Team Urameshi the winner of the Dark Tournament by supreme knockout!" The announcement distracts the guards just long enough. With heavy sighs the ferry-girl and prince release their solid bodies and simply pass through the wolves, regaining solidarity once beyond the door. A quick motion and the door locks behind. An energy shield prevents the two outside from just breaking the wood slab down.
Kohaku gazes at them quietly from her cot, face betraying no hint of emotion. Her voice is thick with sleep and exhaustion when she speaks. "I'm not going to heal from this, am I?"
An answering sigh from Koenma as they approach. "I'm sorry to say that would be a 'no', Kohaku. The reason your trance broke isn't because you're out of reiki. It's because not even your abilities are enough to repair the damage done, despite the spell that's kept you here this long."
A wet snort that starts a trickle of blood down her upper lip. "Spell's been unraveling like all the others. And something feels off."
"You've suffered some massive contusions to the brain and most of your vital organs," Botan tells her quietly. "The reason everyone thinks you've stopped bleeding is because none of it's external."
"So I'm bleeding to death."
"Quite quickly now."
Koenma helps the wolf sit up as a storm of heavy coughs threaten to choke her before the blood does. When it subsides, Kohaku gives a weaker version of her puppy-dog eyes. "Can I at least stay to make a wish?"
"Not even a wish can keep you alive, but you've already got just a moment or two beyond that," Koenma warns kindly. "Make it count."
/Koi?/ Kohaku hears at the fringe of her sluggish thoughts. /The rest of us have made our wishes now. Is yours still the same?/
An epiphany strikes. No. I wish that no wolf ever has to rely on anyone but themselves to keep from getting lost. No more reiki markings.
A taste of warm raspberry indicates his smile. /That's a good wish, sugar-wolf. Go back to sleep./
G'night. I love you. A swirl of fresh mint and honey is Hiei's response as his mental touch withdraws. The clouded bronze eyes drift slowly shut and her bandaged chest stops rising and falling. Botan sniffles and wipes her eyes as a shining, translucent version of an unwounded Kohaku rises from the bed and smiles ruefully at them both, tucking her hands into her pockets. "Okay, Botan. I suppose I'm ready when you are." She glances back towards the door, an expression of deep sorrow sliding onto her face. "Sorry, Hiei. I guess…I lied." A gesture from a solemn Koenma and the trio steps into a portal. The door breaks down a second later.
The exultations cease when the rows of wolves suddenly throw their heads back to howl mournfully, the sound echoing off the vaulted ceiling. Crimson eyes wide, Hiei bolts for the locker room. When the rest of the Team arrives, they find only a pair of wolves kneeling on the floor howling as mournfully as the rest over a form with the sheet drawn over her face, a smattering of tear-gems shining on the floor.
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Almost a year has passed since then and the world has kept spinning on its axis despite the gloom that has fallen over a particular fire apparition. Anyone who doesn't know Hiei well would say that he's acting like he used to, before a sweet, eccentric ookami youkai had come into his life. Those that know him well, know better. He's worse now than he ever was.
He's taken to spending almost all of his time alone--the only people whose company he even tolerates these days are Yukina and Genkai. The koorime maiden because she is after all his sister, and a gentle, soothing presence. Genkai because she reminds him nothing of Kohaku. The only other exceptions are his informants, because they only stay long enough to tell him things they think he might want to know. He stays away from his friends, even Kurama and Aislin, and doesn't even bother to show up long enough to insult Kuwabara anymore.
In fact, he doesn't bother to show up for missions at all. Not even Koenma would dare to try and coerce him into anything lately--especially since he had a direct hand in Kohaku's passing. The child-ruler is mildly surprised that his palace still stands every time he wakes up in the morning.
Kohaku's parents had been understandably distraught when Hiei had arrived at their front door, the air around him dark with depressed aura. He'd offered his own life in reparation but the Piers had refused and had gently shut the door in his face. They'd moved to the Makai about seven months back and travel back and forth between the Blade-arm and Blood Moon clans, training and raising their remaining child.
His informants have told him that Koryu has become rather sober and barely speaks to anyone, finding solace only in training and fighting. In a few more years, Hiei would have to check on his progress. Maybe they could ease the other's pain somewhat, though the fire apparition doubts it. They've also told him about Kohaku's friend Luke and his awakened memories from his former life as Kuronue. Given the boy's resemblance to the ex-thieves' best friend, Hiei is not surprised.
He's staked out turf around the tree where he'd come so close to telling his beloved her loved her, and alternates spending large amounts of time sitting on that branch with savagely killing anything bigger than a rabbit that enters his territory. And if the things smaller than a rabbit are demons, he kills them even faster. Once again his reputation is growing: he is known now as a cold, unfeeling dealer in death and someone to avoid at all costs. It suits him.
He sits in the tree now, back resting against the solid trunk while he stares out over the familiar landscape. This is one of the rare times he allows grief to hold sway, and he ignores the black tear-gems that fall to the ground far, far below. From within the memories that cut away at his hold on sanity, an American song that Kohaku had taught him seems to rise to the occasion. Without knowing why, he clears a throat hoarse from screaming and sings it.
"A hundred days have made me older, since the last time that I saw your pretty face. A thousand lies have made me colder, and I don't think I can look at this the same. But all the miles that separate, they disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you, baby, and I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still with me in my dreams. And tonight…it's only you and me."
The forest around him, unusually quiet at the best of times thanks to Hiei's merciless efforts, falls silent as the husky voice echoes through the clear air. Creatures both demon and mortal stop their activities to listen to this haunting song with wonder, heads tilted and eyes closed. Has a fallen angel come to ground?
"The miles just keep rolling, as the people leave their way to say hello. I've heard this life is overrated…but I hope that it gets better as we go. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you, baby, and I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still with me in my dreams. And tonight, girl, it's only you and me.
"Everything I know, and anywhere I go, it gets hard, but it won't take away my love. And when the last one falls, when it's all said and done…It gets hard, but it won't take away my love. I'm here without you baby, but you're still on my lonely mind. I think about you, baby, and I dream about you all the time. I'm here without you, baby, but you're still with me in my dreams. And tonight, girl… it's only you and me."
"Then open your eyes and get down here, silly fluff-head. You can't go anywhere with me if you just sit there."
He keeps his eyes shut and does not look down. "You're not real. Go away." A clump of dirt hits him upside the head with unerring accuracy and a retort of "I am too real!"--he glares down in reflex with one hand going for his sword. And freezes. Then falls, because he stopped while he was leaning over to drop out of the tree, to kill whoever was stupid enough to try tricking and throwing things at him.
He misses every branch but is too stunned to get his feet under him in time and smacks into the ground face-first. After he removes his head from the dent he's created and shakes the dirt out of his ears, strangled sounds become audible. It suspiciously sounds like…laughter. Indiscriminate glare in that direction that turns into a full-blown gape.
Kohaku leans against the tree, arms wrapped around her ribs as she tries to keep from laughing. A glance at his face and she loses the fight, sliding down to sit on the grass, helpless with laughter. From beneath her long hair a small creature emerges, chittering in mild annoyance that she's squished it against the trunk.
Hiei feels rather stupid. He can't seem to get himself to stop crouching there with his jaw hanging down. "Sorry…Nao," Kohaku manages around her giggles, moving the creature to the top of her head as she makes an effort to calm down and stand. Hiei doesn't move as she walks up and pokes his shoulder. In slow motion, he loses his balance and falls over.
"Hiei-baka!" she laughs, plopping down beside him and pushing one long strand of purple behind her ear, "Stop staring and say something, wouldja?"
"You're dead."
"Was dead," she corrects with a giggle as the creature hops from her head to his chest and strolls up to his chin for a sniff. It looks something like a cross between a fox and a squirrel, with a rusty, brassy sort of coat that shades to a pale rose-grey on its underside and in the long furry ears. Alert golden eyes study every detail on his face. "Koenma couldn't stand me keeping half of Spirit World partying all night all the time. So about three months ago he handed me this odd little gold egg and told me that if I wasn't eaten or turned into an accessory by whatever came out I'd get to drive the living crazy again." A fluid one-shoulder shrug. "I don't think I've ever seen Koenma stamp so fast as when I plunked Nao down on his desk covered in glitter."
"Nyah!" the creature retorts, looking over its shoulder with its little pink tongue sticking out. Hiei finally gets his body moving enough to sit up, Nao scampering to sit on his shoulder with a smug little critter-grin. Kohaku reaches over, catches it by its scruff, and plunks it on top of her head. It immediately hops back to Hiei and curls up among his head-spikes.
The fire apparition's mouth opens and closes a few times as he tries to get something intelligible to emerge, but he gives up and just goes back to staring. She looks the same. Black shirt and jeans scrawled with random designs in glitter-glue. Fuzz-lined black 'bondage' cuffs around wrists with silver accents, matching collar above a choker of familiar green gems. Black sneakers covered in little silver charms. Hair streaked with purple and green falling past her hips, merry bronze eyes set off by kohl-like purple eyeshadow. A pair of headphones hooked around her neck linked to the player at her hip. Strawberry lip-gloss on a mouth kissably close.
That's the most sensible thought that's occurred in the last minute or so, the fire apparition thinks as he leans forward and tastes that lip-gloss. He licks his own lips as he pulls back. That had tasted even better than he'd dreamed.
"Wow." It's Kohaku's turn to be stupefied, and Hiei feels all the pain and grief of the last year just fall away at the dreamy, possessive, transfixed expression she's wearing. "Can you do that again?" Hiei stares at her again for a long heartbeat, then breaks down into laughter. As he sits there the tears come pouring, pastel reds and pinks, and two pure, blood red stones the size of his thumbnail that he catches through the tears. A warm, furry body climbs into his lap a few seconds later and he buries his face in the chocolate-brindle ruff of the wolf slowly thumping a tail against his hip.
"I'm sorry, koishii, I thought Koenma told you I wasn't allowed to stay dead if I got killed at the Tournament. It was in the contract he signed to get me to be a part of the Team in the first place. He had to have me be dead for a little while, but not forever." He lifts his face and growls when she slurps at it with a wet tongue, swiping at his cheek with a shirt-sleeve. "Now that I know he didn't tell you, you and I can get revenge by painting his whole palace bright pink, how's that?"
A series of choked snorts at the thought of the baby waking up to find everything Day-Glo pink, but they finally die away and Kohaku gracefully shifts back into two-legger form, arranging herself more comfortably in his lap. He looks at the rarest of gems in his hands and thinks about what to call them--they match Aislin's gem that gleams in the koorime's earlobe until Kurama is of age again. Maybe, if hers is the Tear of the Rose, he should call these the Dragon's Tears. They'll look beautiful as matching pendants…Then he looks back up into the smiling eyes of his beloved and surrenders, letting that special smile curve his lips. "I…You're hopeless, you know that?"
As she did before, she gives him her bubbliest, most innocent smile and chirps, "Oh, no! I've got lotsa hope! I just have to dig it out of a closet somewhere!"
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Koenma wakes up to another beautiful morning with his palace still in one piece around him, stretching and yawning as he shakes off the last of a pleasant sleep. He hadn't slept quite as well as usual; some odd sounds had woken him once or twice during the Reikai night…He takes a very good look around him, and the reason behind the feeling of something off that had been nagging at him percolates through that toddler-sized skull.
Pink. Everything, down to his dresser and the curtains hanging from his windows are a bright, cheery, eye-searing shade of electric pink. And on the wall directly in front of him, scrawled in berry red, is the signature, "This prank has been brought to you by Sugar-Wolf and Fluff-Head Kasai." The 'Fluff Head' has been crossed out, 'Kasai'--Hiei's old thief-name--written neatly next to it. "Thank you for choosing us for your pranking needs!" Below that has been sprayed, "For complaints, please call 1-957-BITE ME." Below that, giving him the cherry-eye, are little 'smiley-but-not' faces recognizable as Hiei and Kohaku.
From their perch in the tree Kohaku had once chosen to disappear to when she'd been fed up with her workload, two apparitions and one Spirit Beast hear one very displeased Reikai Prince howl, "KOHAKU!!!" The roar interrupts the explanation of Kohaku's newfound and natural ability to dissolve any and all spells so far thrown at her.
The two apparitions just look at each other and burst into laughter, joined by Nao and his musical chirping giggle. Wait until Koenma sees what they've done to Yusuke and Kuwabara…
……
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Meanwhile, in the Ningenkai, two human boys look in their bathroom mirrors. "AAAIIIGH!"
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ShimekiriI had to have the wolf-girl go out on a prank, there was no other way I could see. Thank you for reading my stories--hopefully I'll have a new one up soon. We're just about finished with moving and that means I get my computer back, so I'll be working on shifting a melded story (script/narrative) into something that will have a better chance of remaining in place. That, and I wanna tweak the bloody hell out of it.
Jya ne, minna-san! See you soon!