Still looking for that title- part one: The Third Kingdom- Chap 9

Hiya! Second chapie, just like I promised. This almost didn't get out. I was on the comp all week, but I was doing this damn project. I hate that thing. I spit on it.

Any way, I'm in a good mood. I'm listening to Tangerine Dream. I love these German bands! This one isn't heavy metal, but it's still kind of industrial. I haven't found a good site for it yet, but you can pretty much just search for it. And no words equals no language barrier. Don't worry.

Purplehairedwonder: Yes, B and K was awesome! The third one's my fave too. Yay for lipiun! And thank you for sympathizing.

Denegación: No poseo nada. No demande o voy a mander mis Nazis de gramatica a ustedes.

Here it is folks.

It's all that young can do for the old, Shock them and keep them up to date.
unknown

9. Part a: North it is Then

"Hey, Kuro, check this out."

Kuronue whipped his head around to address the Fox. An apple protruded from his mouth as the hand that had supported it stood suspended exactly where it had been a moment before.

"Hm.?" He asked with mild boredom.

"Come over here." Kurama waved him over without looking at him.

The bat youkai bent down to look at the paper on the news stand that the Fox was now reading with heavy interest, not bothering to pick it up. The apple still stuck out of his mouth.

"Don't do that." the Fox noted the protrusion in his peripheral vision and continued reading.

Kuronue took a large, crunching bite out of the apple and removed it from his mouth. Not being an avid reader of Turkish newspapers, he left the reading to the learned Fox and skimmed over the pictures for something of interest.

One of them, incidentally one of the largest, caught his eye. It looked like a mugshot with height markings in the backround. The man in the photo (according to said markings) was a little less than a meter and a half tall (about 4' 10"). He had dark, spiky hair with a dash of white in front and, though the picture was in black and white, Kuronue suspected that he had large, red eyes. At the bottom, left corner was a line of writing Kuronue recognized as the language of the Reikai reading "Reikai file photo."

He stared at the photo for a moment, perplexed. Why did this man seem so familiar?

"Hey, Fox. I think I know that guy." he blurted pointedly.

Kurama turned around skimming the passing crowd. "Who? Which guy?"

"That one." Kuronue jabbed at the picture, smudging the poor ink job.

"Kuronue!" Kurama chided him for the damaged newspaper. "Anyway, you should, though I'm surprised at how quickly you noticed."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you surprised… if I'n supposed to know him?"

"Because it was four centuries ago." Kurama turned back to the paper.

"So, who is he? I don't like not knowing people I should."

"He's Hiei."

"Hiei…Hiei… Oh! That shrimp! Hey! How'd you recognize him and I didn't?"

"Because. The last time you saw him was 400 years ago. The last time I saw him was about two moons ago."

"Really?"

Kurama nodded and continued to read the article.

"Freaky."

"How so?" Kurama asked, not looking up.

"We don't see him for 400 years and you run into him about two moons before he turns up in the paper."

"He's been in the paper before." Kurama stated bluntly, "And, actually, I ran into him about a century ago. I was about fifteen as a human, I think."

"Really?"

"Yes. Stop asking me that. We're actually pretty good friends now. Funny how many friends I make while committing crimes." He smirked to himself.

"What other friends have you made in crime?"

"You." Kuronue mock gagged at this, "Urameishi, Kuwabara, Boton, Yukina… I gets kind of long, actually. Not all of them are that great and I'm not in touch with a lot of them. A few happen to be dead."

"Humans." Kuronue sighed exasperatedly. "Anyway, what does that say?" he asked, implying the newspaper.

"I was wondering when you were going to ask why I'd called you over to look at a newspaper you couldn't read."

"I was getting to it when I saw that. Now, what's our little dragon friend doing in the paper?"

"Well, basically, it says that he's been arrested… again. It's got a lot of background but I could have told you all this stuff."

"So, fill me in."

"I will. Come on. Let's get out of hearing range of all these people. I'll explain on the way." The Fox turned on his heal.

"On the way where?"

"To the Reikai. We're breaking him out… or, at least I am. You coming?"

"Sure, I'm up for screwing the Reikai, but why are we breaking him out?" Kuronue tagged along after him.

"I told you. Me an' him go back. Besides, we'll screw the Reikai more than you think. It'll make more sense once you're caught up on the last century or so."

"East it is then." Kuronue shrugged and took another crunch of his apple as the two shoved their way through the crowd.

and now for the adventures of our thoroughly annoyed Lowell! Lowell: Ich hasse dich. 'death glare' Me: I know. +

Key: all speech is in Turkish (or what ever they speak there. Any one know?)

Ironic that the lowest knave's blood grows the loveliest flowers.

Kurama

9. parte b: Que Patético (how pathetic)

As Lowell finished describing the Fox to the vender whose cart was reeking of the Fox's scent, the old man nodded.

"Oh yes. The redhead was here. He was an odd one. But that was hours ago."

"Do you know which way he went?"

"No, I didn't see them leave but he and his friend seemed real interested in this article." He held up the smudged paper. +don't ask me why it didn't sell, ok+ She took the paper.

"His friend?"

"Oh yes. Tall fellow. Long black hair, ghost white skin; Like a vampire or something. Come to think of it, he did have bat wings."

Lowell snorted; reading and listening at the same time. Vampires didn't have wings, Ryoushi (1) did. Vampires and Ryoshi were mortal enemies. Ryoushi had been created and bred for the sole purpose of hunting and killing Vampires. They were good at it too. Only problem was, they did their job. When Vampires became nearly extinct, the Ryoushi were simply cast out. An entire race created for one purpose and tossed out to face the world when that purpose was fulfilled. How Pathetic.

The old man's mistake was a common one though. Ryoushi were created with Vampires in mind. They had many similar attributes and, in most cases, were just as vicious. In fact, no one could confirm nor deny the rumor that Ryoushi were a sub-breed of the creatures of the darkness. In any case, they were created so that they could compete with the terrible creatures and in turn replaced them in mythology. Few humans knew what the Nosvaratu (2) really was and rarely could they see them properly. Most humans didn't even know that there was more than one kind. The Ryoushi became "Vampires" by often showing up in one's wake, so were often jumbled with the real thing. Two races, destined to destroy each other, had become one. How pathetic.

Even now, with nothing better to do, they hunt what's left of the Vampires; and every now and then a Vampire will hunt them. The two were locked in eternal turmoil. How pathetic.

"You know what was real funny 'bout 'im?" the old vendor continued. /Is he still talking/ she thought/Better milk him for it./

"What?" she asked feigning interest in this imbecilic creature.

"His hat."

"Hmm?" She tried not to sound too interested, but a hat? What could this guy think was so damn funny about a hat? Was it odd? So what? The guy who the Fox happened to be talking to was a loony. Big deal. What was so special about the hat?

"Yeah. It was real old an' tattered." /Big whoop./ Lowell mentally rolled her eyes.

"Don't know why anyone would keep a mess like that around. It looked like it'd been to hell an' back."

"Really." /Interesting choice of words./ she thought as someone suddenly popped into her mind. "I'll take this." She said indicating the paper. She began to dig in her pocket.

"Let me get you a clear one, miss." +ok, that's why it hadn't sold+

"No. This one's fine." she said, overpaying him for the paper, "Keep the change." She winked and left.

ok, now it's done+

(1) Ryoushi- japanese for "hunter/s"

(2) Nosvaratu- german for "vampire"

note: vampires inthis storyare heartless, souless beasts of the netherealm (or something dark sounding like that). they have no real personality, so go off on me about all the cool vampire chara and not to dis them. this is how i portray them here. end of discussion.

well, I said I'd get on up and I did.

Matik: you blew off your project to do it.

I didn't blow it off. I did it.

Idee: you were up till four though. I'm shot. You're getting' your own ideas from now on. +remember? She gives me my ideas+

NNNOOOOOO! COME BACK! I'll go to sleep tonight. I promise. I don't have to do anything tomorrow. I'll be so fxing bored. Especially w/ my stupid little brat on spring break. I'll have to hide.

Stupid little brat (aka my brother): what was that!

Go away. You were dropping eves.

Stupid little brat: I was what?

Schaden, Kuronue, Hiei, sick 'im!

Stupid little brat: AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Idee: you worked me to death all spring break. I need my own break.

You were the one shouting stupid HP/YYH fics at me!

Idee: too bad. I need a break.

Uh oh. She's on strike now. Seriously. I'm stuck now. I've almost got writer's block. Good news: I know what I want to do. Bad news: I have no idea how. Send me some cool fight scene ideas. We're talkin' Hiei here, if that helps. Don't worry. I've got about +checks chapters+ four or five weeks worth of stuff until we're really in the hole. I might just have to painfully scribble some shit out. Hopefully not. Maybe Idee will have enough break then.

Good. Finished. Just in time.

Kurama+still tied up in the bush+ No you're not. What about me! I'm getting kind of hungry.

waves some toast in Kurama's face+ is this what you want?

Kurama+snaps at it like a hungry dog+ yes +whines+ pleeeeeaase!

Should I? Review.

Now I'm done. Just in time. I have to go.

Doomschneider

3-24-05