Tomorrow is Another Day
And There is Always Another Tomorrow.
Till Pigs Have Wings,
And Nova Rings,
Engulf the Universe.
Karuri: Annoooooo... Sao? What is THAT? (Points up.)
Sao: WASN'T ME! BLAME NEKO! (points furiously at the small furry frame of the black and white cat tapping delicately at the keyboard with one paw, huge fluffy tail wrapped all the way around it) AWWW! Why does that damn muse have to be so KAWAII! (Lunges for Neko)
Neko: AAAAAHH! Insane kitty-lover Sao! Don't let her get me! (Jumps into Kurama's arms)
Kurama: (looks startled)
Karuri: Does anybody second me when I say, huh?
Neko: DON'T LET HER GET ME! SHE'LL HUG THE LIFE OUT OF ME!
Kurama: Why does that scenario sound vaguely familiar... o yes.
Karuri: Because she does it to any living being in the universe?
Kurama: Well, that too, but I was going to say because it seems so similar to how Kuwabara can act when there's a cat around...
Sao: (stiffens) WHAT? HOW... HOW DARE YOU COMPARE ME TO HIM?
Karuri: Leaving now.
Kurama: Right behind you.
Sao: OH NO YOU DON'T!
Neko: (is released to the typing pad once more) Phew. Well, at least she's not after ME this time! (hums)
Saor: Is it just me or is a cat humming instead of purring the weirdest thing ever?
Neko: Go away Saor.
Saor: But... but... I'M THE YAMI TO SAO'S HIKARI! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME GO AWAY! MWAHAHA-(chokes)
Neko: (whispers) actually, Saor is the delusional hikari. Sao, or Saori, is the hentai yami. But don't tell them I said that. They're convinced it's the other way around. Oh, and sorry for the extremely long intro! On to the story!
Readers: FINALLY!
Neko: (gulps)
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Karuri wasn't aware she had fallen asleep again, but when she awoke, there was no comforting presence at her back. The only real sign that it hadn't been a dream was...
Her eyes widened at the definite proof that her secret was out. It was the dark green jacket that Kurama had been wearing when he came over... the first time, when she was still concerned with cleaning house. And when they went to that diner where she usually was washing dishes. And... she didn't remember whether he had it on still last time she saw him, but she was pretty sure from the memory of his body heat that it had been something far lighter he had been wearing underneath it, not the heavy jacket.
And so it began again. How soon would it be before the underworld-lings came for her? Would Youko tell? Would Kurama? Was there a difference? Should she leave right now?
In an unplanned attempt to calm her rising distress she burrowed her face into the jacket, inhaling the scent of roses and other green things. Letting her youkai senses go, she sniffed at the further messages contained in that scent...
And jolted up from it, alarmed. She had been far too distressed and confused before to realize it. Kitto. That's what he kept calling her. Kit. A pet name? Certainly, as far as the kitsune tradition went, that was just a step away from koi. That was granting himself permission to court her. And the message went deeper than that. It was in Youko's scent on the jacket:
He wanted her– HER– as a potential lifelong mate. That was saying a lot. Kitsunes tended to go with their first instincts as far as mating went, but finding a lifelong mate meant considering someone your equal, and it involved a courting process meant to make sure this was true. A courting process that tested self-control and power in many ways, pulling the relationship into the most intimate situations yet demanding it be platonic. It was an ancient tradition that the highest ranks of kitsune kept.
And he was asking to initialize it.
She couldn't! She was on the run from the Reikai-lings! She couldn't start that sort of thing right now! What if they found her?
'It would be the perfect way to start the first twist of courtship,' her traitorous mind whispered. 'To see if he really means it.'
What was wrong with her life? Youko had to be at least three hundred years older than her, and possibly more. Not that this made him old on a youkai time frame. It just made her extremely young. Which she was. Kitsune might reach sexual maturity before they were a hundred years old, but that didn't mean... Lifelong mate! Kami, but this... this was scaring her.
But... at the same time, it was a nice kind of scared. Not like the 'Kami I'm going to die' scared she had been last night.
Bad thoughts. Definitely not thinking about last night. Nope. NO WAY IN HELL. She was going to find something to do.
Although, she thought as she managed to lever herself off the bed, hopefully I can find something that doesn't involve moving too much...
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"Hey, Kurama. Kurama. YOo hOo, Kurama. ANYBODY HOME?"
Kurama snapped out of his silent argument with Youko (-What were you saying before I woke up?- –: Nothing. (smirk) :–) to see a mildly annoyed and amused Yusuke waving his hand in front of Kurama's face.
"You can stop that, onegai, Yusuke." Kurama said calmly, pulling away from the offending hand slightly.
"Geez, for once I am the one actually thinking about working! What the hell is wrong with my world!"
"Gee, I dunno, Urameshi, maybe that you're in it?" Kuwabara jabbed in.
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke roared, slapping his unfortunate fellow detective over the back of the head.
"Onegai, you two. Haven't you grown past that yet?" Kurama sighed.
"Hn. Of course not. They're both baka." Hiei sneered.
"Shut up, shrimp!" Kuwabara yelled.
How was it that all the people around him who were supposed to save the world on a regular basis be so immature? That would probably forever be a mystery. He supposed they just kind of brought out the worst in each other.
Kurama roused himself from the reverie just as Hiei finished pounding Kuwabara into semi unconsciousness.
"Sooo..." Yusuke began. "Do we have any leads?"
"Hn. That kitsune from yesterday."
"Say what? Karuri? The name matches, but Hiei, dude, not getting any youki readings off her." Yusuke scoffed.
"According to what I found when she attempted a probe, she is an Arctic kitsune, most likely. Although. There were some massive power surges coming from the general direction of that part of the city last night." Hiei settled back from what was an amazingly long and involved speech for him and proceeded to mildly glare at all around him as he did on a daily basis.
"Oi, I know what shrimp's talking about for once! That was major creepy last night! Gave me goosebumps!" a still slightly dazed Kuwabara put in.
Oh dear. Not a good way for this conversation to be going.
–: THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITH HER! WE'RE GOING TO GO TO KOENMA AND GET THIS CASE DROPPED! TELL THEM THAT:– Youko yelled furiously inside his head.
: What was that about, fox:
Sometimes I wish you wouldn't listen in every time, Hiei. - Kurama replied tiredly to Hiei's sharp mental question.
: It's hard not to when the fox is yelling that loud. :
–: That's about my FUTURE MATE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH:– Youko grumped.
YOUKO!-
–: Oh stop griping you... you inconspicuous vacuous person. The whole point of the courting process INVOLVES making sure you're not afraid to let everyone know. High end kitsune life-mating is NOT that sort of romantic down-low crap. :–
:You? THE Youko Kurama is thinking about a life-mate after all this time:
–: With the last of the elemental kitsune? Not a bad match, ne? We're still getting this case dropped. These baka-ne are NOT going to be going chasing after MY future mate. It's unheard of to let your partner stay in any sort of prospective danger during the courting process. :
You keep talking about this courting process! What is it, anyway? -
–: It's the way employed by high-rank - that's five tails or more, if you were wondering- kitsune to make sure that the one they are looking at is truly life-mate material. Of course, I doubt it's even necessary in this case. I am known for having very good instincts. :– Youko finished smugly.
: Which is, of course, why you died. :
–: Be quiet, zasshu. :–
(A/N: I considered stopping it here, but I figured, so long as I am staying up late to type, let's stay up later and put in another scene, ne?)
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"You two, I don't think we should worry about this case any longer." Kurama said quietly, getting up from his seat on the bench in the park they were meeting in. Hiei was leaning against the tree in whose shade the bench was located, and Yusuke and Kuwabara were both standing up in front of the bench, making sure they were ready for a fight with one another at any time.
"Huh? Why not, Kurama?" Yusuke inquired.
"Because it involves the one who I intend to court for a life-mate."
Hiei couldn't resist a wide smirk stretching across his face. The fox was blushing, just slightly enough that it might not be noticed by someone less observant. But the human side of Kurama was not near as comfortable with the whole kitsune process as his Youko counterpart. (Hiei didn't even want to THINK about the courting process– there were so many convoluted twists and tiny rules, and it was just one of the more idiotic trends as he looked at it. But for some reason the kitsune liked it.)
"SAY WHAT THE HELL?" Yusuke, predictably, exploded.
"Need I repeat myself? I thought the message was rather clear." Ha. Kurama just didn't want to have to say it again because he'd probably end up blushing more.
"That is just freaky. You and, and... Isn't life-mate like, married?" Kuwabara said, staring at Kurama with "WEIRD" written all over his face. So the human actually had half a brain rattling around in his empty head. Amazing.
"Yes, it is. And if you don't mind, I intend to inform Koenma that this case need no longer be pursued. Oh, and, one more thing." His eyes flashed dangerously to the cold golden orbs of Youko and his voice deepened. "If I get wind of you following this any more– well, you'd be putting my future mate in danger and- dangers to the future mate must be eliminated." He quirked his head innocently at them. "I'm sure you understand."
He walked off, presumably to "convince" Koenma not to pursue this case. Hiei would have liked to see that one. Endless amusement could be found in the suffering of the princeling. Oh well. He would have to settle for the "what just happened" stunned and intimidated looks on the two ningen's faces, which were, after all, priceless. Just once Hiei actually wished he had a camera.
((A/N: Another stopping point! But alas! I'm on a role! Readers: THAT'S NOT A BAD THING, BAKA! Sao: it isn't? Readers: GET ON WITH IT! Sao: O.o right...))
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Stamp. Stamp. Stamp.
Koenma was holed up in his office with the endless mountain of papers around him, and of course his trusty never-dry ink pad and rubber stamp. He wished for something to break the monotony of his never ending pattern.
Stamp. Stamp. Stamp. Crreeaak.
Oh dear. That cursed, cursed door. Not more papers, please Kami. Wait, wasn't that a bit redundant, seeing as he was a demi-god himself? Oh well. He refused to look up from what he was stamping to see the new pile of papers George was going to plop on his desk. It would just be too disheartening to actually SEE the pile. Maybe if he didn't look, he could happily convince himself it wasn't there.
"Hello, Koenma." The stamp stopped on it's way down to the next paper, a droplet of ink falling from its corner. That wasn't George. That was the infrequently heard voice of– YOUKO?
He whipped his gaze up from the papers to see Kurama lounging idly against the wall next to his desk. His hair was still bright red, but his eyes– were the merciless ones of Youko.
((A/N: I love that color combo– red and gold... pwetty... Karuri: (bashes sao) GET ON WITH IT! Sao: owwie... right-o then... meanies.))
Koenma gulped. What would Youko be doing partly in control like that, and what did he want with him?
"Aah... Hai, Kurama?" he responded nervously to the previously offered greeting.
"As you might have guessed from my presence, we have something we need to speak about."
Koenma could just imagine the tails swishing dangerously as Kurama stalked to shadow over him from the other side of the desk. He didn't have to imagine the glint of a fang.
"W-which is?" He couldn't quite conceal the tremor in his voice. Why did he have to go and keep these dangerous people on the spirit detective team? At least Yusuke's bad-natured teasing was harmless!
"The matter of the case you put us on earlier. Karuri. I want any and all investigations concerning her halted."
"Huh? Why?" Koenma was mystified. That was definitely an odd request. And not at all what he had been expecting. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting, but it didn't include that.
"Because," Kurama/Youko hissed dangerously, leaning over the desk and resting his hands on top of the work surface, "As my intended life-mate, any 'investigations' you might send would be considered a threat to her well being. And any threat to her well being..." he paused, seeming to consider, though from the glint in his eye, he was just letting Koenma be scared.
Koenma was scared.
"Would have to be... terminated."
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Sao: Wahoooooo! very long chappie there according to me! And my rating scale!
Neko: pfft. Which is rather pathetic, I might add.
Saor: Well, there are many people with shorter chappies than us.
Sao: Fun stuff planned for next chapter! The courting process! Which, if I can't find a place to properly explain my idea for it (it is mine, btw) I will do so somewhere out of story! But it's amusing... (evil smile)
Saor: You mean entirely evil.
Neko: (whispers) see what I mean about them being mixed up?
Sao/Saor: Shut up you stupid muse.
Neko: If I shut up, you two can't write. I'm your muse.
Sao/Saor: (growls)
Karuri: (sigh) see what I have to put up with.
Kurama/Youko: I could "terminate" them.
Karuri: No, then there wouldn't be any story...
Sao: ANYHOW! QUESTION FOR REVIEWERS:
Do you want this to just be the slightly pointless, cute little romance thing with the extremely cute and amusing (in my view) ending, or do you want me to introduce my bad guy and actually have (gasp!) A PLOT! that would go along with everything that would happen in the cute one?
Neko: Really, Sao, is that a DUMB question or what? LIKE they're ever going to vote "o, don't have a plot, we want it to be shorter and have less to read" pfft.
Sao: HEY, I can hope! And anyhow, this coming from the muse that just blindly follows my friend Keahi around anywhere she goes!
Neko: I DO NOT— ooh, Keahi! (blindly follows)
Saor: NOW! thankies much too:
Ugly Kitten: Yay! I feel loved I get an award! Anyhow, I will try veryvery hard not to get grounded from the computer again (it sucks– and during spring break too! pouts) will continue to update wednesdays! Which, for me, means... Anytime between two p.m andtwo a.m on Wednesday night... no, I'm serious that's when I get all my typing done... And people ask me why I sleep through geometry!
Sillylittlenothing: ooo! Thankies for amulet! (uses it to ward off zombie nekos with squashes– don't know where they came from but–) cool! It works! Anyhow, the thing is about other stories is that this one interferes with them WAAAY more than the other way around. So if I tried... they wouldn't get updated regularly.
animebishieluver: I know exactly what you're talking about... (gazes blankly into space until saor whacks her over the back of the head) D'OH! Yeah, anyhow, thanks for the review!
Kaily: Hello new reviewer! (Feels loved) OH! Since I forgot— for you and everyone else up there– (passes out key lime bars and double fudge brownies) WITH SPLENDA! O.o that was random...
Sao: Well, that's all. Ja ne for now and SEE YOU NEXT WEEK (we hope.) Hell might have melted again... but not for long! (evil smirk)