Once again, Hiei approached his friend's door, but he had the odd feeling the emotions driving them would be reversed.

He casually pushed open the door, but did not enter. The door swung a little ways to reveal a pacing Kurama by the window.

Still, he would not enter the room. He knew his friend too well to enter the room when he was upset.

So he peered through the crack between the door and the wall. Sure enough, there was something green lurking just out of view.

"Kurama," he said quietly, still not entering the room. Kurama stopped, glanced in his direction, and continued pacing, but growled almost inaudibly, "Come in."

Hiei took a step, and then another, but kept close to the right side of the room, away from the plant taking over the left. Leaning against the wall, he crossed his arms, and cocked his head to one side.

"You fought with her." Kurama said too quietly. Hiei looked up. "You knew she wasn't well, and yet you still fought with her."

"Do not patronize me." Hiei warned, with a cold tone. "Besides, even if I told her to stop a second time, she wouldn't have listened."

Kurama paused for a moment, and then continued again. "You could have picked her up and put her in her room."

"Or I could have beat the crap out of her, considering the gall she has to attack me." That remark caused Kurama to grin. He knew Hiei was far too proud to ever let anyone get away alive after they attacked him. A human girl was a major blow, and even more, that fact that a bond was formed between them probably ran the fire demon's nerves raw.

Kurama stopped pacing, but now just stared at the floor. Hiei noticed the plant's growth on the other side of the room had stopped.

"This girl is turning our lives upside down." Hiei sighed. "And bringing out the best in us." Kurama added with a grin.

"Yes, what is this I hear about Spatchula-fighting in the park?" the fire demon asked as he stepped away from the wall.

The next day, Laena finally found the office that that Koenma kid worked in. Whatever. She was bored, and she needed to go home. Thank God this was the beginning of a week-long vacation, or else she'd have some explaining to do.

(Lucy!)

She smacked the door a couple of times before hearing a muffled sigh from the other side. Laena opened the door, and pushed through the opening to see piles of papers lining the desk, hiding the Prince of the Spirit Realm.

"Uh, Koenma?"

"Yes?" he tiredly responded, without looking over the stacks. Laena couldn't talk to a wall of papers, so she strode over to the desk. She peered over the barrier, and didn't see who she was expecting.

A brown-haired guy was slumped over the desk furiously scribbling on something that looked like a document. A very thick document.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was looking for Koenma." She apologized with a confused expression. The boy looked up, with a frown, and gave a questioning stare.

"Oh, Laena. I thought it was one of the guys banging like that on my door." He sat up straighter, but was still focused on the paper work.

Laena was just kind of standing there, with an idiotic expression. "What's wrong? Laena?"

"Wait, hold on a minute. Who are you, again?" She asked finally collecting her wits. The guy's ( I hate saying that, sounds so illiterate) brow furrowed, and then he sat back. "Oh..." he drawled as he looked down at himself.

No way was that Koenma. He was a baby that, for some odd reason, ruled the Spirit Realm. Wherever that is. Who's this guy with the swanky hair? This guy looks too cool to be him.

"Laena, it's me. Koenma. I have two forms, and this is what I look like when I go out." (Snazy)

Laena pressed her lips together, and rose an eyebrow. "Why are you older now?" She asked, leaning on her toes.

"I don't know. I wanted to be PRETTY KOENMA! 'I think the pretty brings out the sparkle in my eyes.'"

Little did she know, but Laena had taken a few ( a few as in like, 7) involuntary steps backward during the unexpected outburst, fear written on her features. From there, a slow, uncertain grin spread across her face, as she laughed nervously.

Koenma coughed, feeling very awkward, and straightened up. Finally, he rose from the desk, and came to stand by the side. "What can I do for you?" He asked with as much of a business tone as he could muster.

Laena loosened up, and remembered what she came here for in the first place. "Oh, right. I've been here for about two days, I guess, and now, I'm running out of clothes, time and patience. Can I PLEASE GO HOME?" She almost fell to her knees, and clasped her hands in a pleading gesture.

Koenma looked at her, a little amused, and relieved that was all she was asking. "Of course you can. Why didn't you ask earlier?" "The doctor said I had to stay." she replied a little sulkily. Koenma's lips twitched towards that of a smile. "You'll need an escort, of course." He added, "Ask one of the guys to bring you. You can go home whenever."

Laena was sohappy to hear she could leave, she couldn't help but smile. "Oh! Thank you so much!" She ran up to him and threw her arms around him. Koenma, a little startled by the hug, grinned nervously. "Can I come back again?" Laena asked, as she leaned back to look at him.

"Not unless something like last time happens." he said in a careful tone. Laena's face fell from joy to something bordering the line of defeated.

"Okay..." she drawled with a sulky tone. "Thank you for taking care of me." she said as she began to walk to the door. "Oh, and Laena," Koenma said, moving back behind his desk, "Don't tell anyone about what happened to you. Not even your family. Don't tell them about this place, or anyone you've met here." Laena's brow furrowed, but then a grin spread across her face, and she made a clicking noise with her mouth as she gave a mock salute with her finger, saying, "Gottcha. Our little secret." Then she pushed the door open, and slipped out.

Koenma stood behind his desk, with and exasperated expression, and sighed.

That Little Voice in the back of his mind was chanting something that told him he'd be seeing that girl again, and quite often, in the near future.

Kurama was sitting in his room reading a book at the window, quietly minding his own business. The 'sun' shone through the glass, and illuminated the lightly-colored walls. The whole scene was just peaceful, and tranquil. Nothing could disturb it, right?

Well, Nothing met Laena, and now they're both about to disturb something.

The door flew open, and in walked the girl with her army coat on, and an expression Kurama couldn't quite fathom on her face.

"Hi, Kurama." she casually, but sweetly greeted, as she strode over to the book case. "Whatcha readin'?" Kurama eyed her suspiciously over the book. "Man, you've got a lot of books." She qawked at the wall to wall shelf, scanning the book spines. "Laena, what did you do?" Kurama sighed, putting the book down.

She looked up at him with a hard stare. "I didn't do anything." she said, frowning. "I was just wondering if you'd like to take me home." She pulled a book out, and flipped through a few pages.

"You want to go home now?" He asked, now standing. She nodded her head, still focused on the book. "Ok." he shrugged. Laena looked up, and smiled. "I'll be returning this in a few weeks." she said holding the book up. "Just let me go get my stuff, and I'll be ready."

As she skipped out of the room, Kurama looked around, then out the window, and took a breath. I hope that spell Koenma sent is still working on her parents.

As Kurama and Laena walked down the corridor towards the outer doors, Hiei came into view, exiting a room on the side.

"Hiei!" Laena chirped and ran down the hall to meet him. She grabbed his arm, and jumped up and down beside him. "Hey, guess what?" she paused only long enough for him to take a breath. "I'm going home!" she finished with a small noise of joy. (Eeeeeee...)

Kurama made it down the hall, and now joined them. He smiled at his friend, and the funny expressions the girl caused him to make. Hiei seemed more animated when Laena was there to antagonize him.

"Hey, you wanna come with us?" Laena asked excitedly.

Not really.

"Come on, it'll be fun, and then you can see where I live, and look at my really neat room!" she had such a hopeful look in her eyes. "Besides, how long are you going to stay here, anyway?" she would tug on his fingers every now and then.

"Yes, come along, Hiei." Kurama said in a mocking, yet encouraging tone. He received a slanted glance from the prickly fire demon.

"Please?" Laena asked meekly. "Hn..." Hiei sighed, and hung his head in defeat. "Yes!" Laena jumped up and down next to him, and began to jump down the hall, suddenly full of energy.

"It'll be fun." Kurama encouraged, " And I won't tell anyone you gave in to a human, so don't worry." he added with a laugh. He was rewarded with a very vicious-sounding snarl. "When did you become such a prick?" Kurama just grinned.

Yes, this is a two-parter. This is Retarded Chapter prt. 1

The next will be Retarded prt 2.

My apologies to anyone who takes offense to the term 'retarded'

So, nothing is happening that is terribly extravagant here.

oh, right, I wanted to tell you of the Fan fic I read originally.

It's what inspired/compelled me to start this shitty thing.

go to and then proceed tot he search thingy, set the box on the side to 'story title' and type in 'A Bitter-Sweet Memory' include the hyphen, or else it won't work.

The story is hysterical.

And In other news...

To Night Rain,I know it's absurd that Metallica got beaten out by Ozzy. It's because die-hard fans like you and I were not listening to the radio that day, and therefore, could not put our votes in.

Tragedy, I know.

Merci!

Au revoir, mes Legions! (little accent over 'e')