Disclaimer: Don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

A fox spirit with golden eyes and long silvery hair walked into a bar filled with low class demons. Many whispers of "It's Yoko Kurama," came to the fox's ears and he smirked. It was nice to hear people utter his infamous name in fear.

Though many demons continued to stare in awe they slowly went back to being in their drunken stupors. The fumes of intoxication made the fox scrunch his nose in disgust. Oh well, he was going to find her.

He slowly made his way through a crowd of demons that surrounded a stage. As he neared the front many dancers came into view. The performers were of many origins. Fire demons, Koorim, lightening demons, ferries; they were all there in great numbers.

All except for the rare fox spirit.

Of that origin there was only one.

She had long black hair and eyes of the blackest night. She wore a short sleeveless crimson shirt and a flowing red skirt that hugged her hips causing her nicely tanned waist to be bare and making her stand out from all the others, which were garbed in black just to serve that purpose. The girl also carried a scarf that matched her outfit and twirled with her movements.

She spun around and her skirt flared out and danced as a flame would. She did many graceful crossovers and saucy turns. The other dancers were beautiful but she was the flame that made the fire.

Once she knelt before Yoko and graced her scarf over his neck and shoulders. She kissed him passionately arousing the whoop from the crowd that she had intended. She moved away from the fox spirit with a smile though her actions had not appeared to have affected him in the least.

The girl again began to dance. She finally finished off the show with a series of twirl. In split second timing she stopped in a sexy pose and a screen of smoke swirled around the other dancers and herself.

Yoko walked out of the bar. That was her. There was no doubt in his mind that that girl was her.

He went into some woods nearby and jumped into a tall tree. It was best to wait for her to make her move. He closed his eyes and prepared to sleep but his ears pricked up at the sound of twigs breaking. He looked towards where he thought the noise had come from, his keen golden eyes picking up the girl's features now dressed in a black training outfit and long black gloves. Her long ebony hair flowed behind her as she ran like the wind. She carried a large glowing red gem in her arms.

'A little sooner than I had originally anticipated but I'll go with it' thought Yoko as he jumped to the ground. His eyes quickly plotted the path that she was bound to take and headed for a cave to the side of it. He walked inside the cavern. There he crouched down and waited.

Sure enough, the girl's footsteps came closer to the cave. Just as she streaked past its opening Yoko caught her and pulled her deeper into the cavern, his hand clamped over her mouth.

After a few moments they heard many voices outside the cave and many feet running. "Get that bitch!" the voices yelled as they ran past the cave door.

After a few moments Yoko slowly let out the breath that he had been holding. The girl was struggling against his strong grasp but to no avail.

After awhile she stopped and lowered her head in surrender. The fox spirit finally let her go. She whirled around to face him.

"Who are you, what do you want, and why did you save me?" the fox asked.

"I think that I'll be the one to ask the questions," he said his eyes narrowing.

The girl stepped back, still holding the gem, and sized Yoko up but remained silent.

"You are Kaori the thief correct?" Yoko asked his eyes daring her to answer no.

"Depends. Friend or foe?" she inquired.

"Neither," Yoko replied. "I wish to form an alliance with Kaori."

"And into whose alliance is she joining?" the girl questioned.

"Yoko Kurama's," the fox answered. She eyed him doubtfully. "And why, if I may, would the great Yoko Kurama require her services?"

"You are one of the few like me. You're an expert in the art of thievery, as I saw tonight you would do anything for your prize and you don't believe in mercy," the fox replied. "You didn't answer my question," said Kaori.

Yoko smirked. "You still don't believe that I am Yoko Kurama," he said as a matter of fact.

"Why should I? What have you done for me to trust you?" she asked.

"I don't care if you trust me or not but you will believe me." Yoko barely moved his arms then relaxed once more.

Kaori gave him a confused look and noticed that her arms felt weightless. She looked down to find that the gem, her prize, had been taken. She looked back up at the fox spirit whom she now knew to be Yoko Kurama, the master thief. "I ask again what you want of me. I have a feeling that if you had wanted me killed I'd be dead right now," Kaori said her eyes black stones.

"On the count you would be correct but I require your assistance in obtaining the Black Death," Yoko said.

"You want me to help you catch a disease?" Kaori asked curtly.

Yoko frowned. "You know very well that I mean the priceless diamond that lies within the king's vaults," Yoko looked the girl in the eye, "The one that you nearly lost your life in getting."

Kaori's eyes narrowed, "That accursed diamond is unattainable. I am the only demon to ever even survive an attempt of stealing it."

"Making you the only demon alive that knows the true nature of the traps and soldiers that guard it," Yoko said with a smile.

Kaori shook her head, "I am afraid that I cannot be a part of your alliance. As I have said before the traps are impossible to get past. I've spent the majority of my life after that experience wondering what I could have done differently. There is nothing. Each time I end up dead or at least I should die."

"Alone, yes, it is impossible. But partnered with me, nothing is impossible," Yoko replied. Kaori stared at Yoko for a moment.

"You realize that we are gambling with our lives correct?" she finally asked.

"Isn't that just a wonderful feeling?" Yoko replied with his own question.

"I've always enjoyed it myself… Very well, Yoko you have yourself a partner," Kaori extended her hand toward Yoko, which he took, and sealed their alliance.

Yoko smiled to himself. Through Kaori's foolish thrill for adventure he had tricked her. After the Black Death was in his possession he would dispose of her and the most unflawed jewel in any of the three worlds would be his even if her strong will, fiery spirit, and her slightly overly confident nature paired with her natural beauty thoroughly intrigued him.

Kaori cocked her head to the side in confusion as to what Yoko was smiling about.

"We start off at dawn. As you know the king's vault is a good two month's worth of traveling away," he said his back to Kaori and heading towards the cave's entrance.

"Yoko wouldn't it be safer to travel at night?" Kaori questioned. Yoko looked over his shoulder. "No. Bounty hunters will be expecting that. No, we'll travel by daylight in our fox forms."

Kaori nodded and watched her newest partner walk out of the cave. She sat down and laid her head on a rock ledge, immediately falling asleep and totally forgetting the gem that Yoko had stolen from under her nose.

R and R my loves!