I guess this is the way I can respond to my reviewers, so here it goes.
Kya Kurama: First of all, yes. I am a pagan, which I described in the previous chapter, is an earth-based religion. And I also left a link on my profile for any desiring more information.
And second of all, why did I choose to be so? Here's the thing. All my life and most of my ancestors have been Catholics, and until I was twelve or thirteen, I just let the words they said slide by and ignored them pretty much all together. My mom one time told me that religion is very important, because if you don't believe that there is a higher being other than you, you'll grow up to be careless of others and think mostly for yourself. Now that I think back on that, I'm sure it's only true for some. But anyway, I started to actually listen to mass and found out what "we believe in". I have to say I was shocked and deeply offended.
First thing that made me mad was learning that Catholics only believe humans have souls. Not animals. Not plants. Not stones. Nothing else. And well, I always believed everyone and everything had a soul no matter what.
Second thing I realized was that they said all homosexuals, bisexuals, and anyone who would even think of trying something with the same sex would go to Hell. And that's just downright stupid. It's cruel and unfair. Once again, something I strongly disagree with.
Thirdly and the last one I'm going to mention is the God. I read the Bible and actually paid attention to the stories, and even when I got not even a quarter through it, I had my own opinion on this God. I thought about how jealous, vengeful, and egotistical he was, and that just shouldn't be. He turned people into a pillar of salt for looking back at a town! He punished people for having different beliefs and preferring their own idea of life. This is my view, but I don't want to follow a ruler who punishes people for their outlook. And I apologize to anyone who is offended by this. This is my opinion and nothing more.
Anyway, after that I said to myself that I wanted nothing to do with Christianity if they believe in someone so cruel. So I began searching on the Internet, looking for religions that better suited me and I found Wicca. I continued reading that subject more and found Neo-Paganism, which is what I decided on. The Goddess is so much kinder and loves you for no matter who you are or how you celebrate anything. Heck, on pagan holidays, so my mom doesn't get suspicious, I just bake brownies or cookies or something and decorate them in ways that symbolizes the holiday but doesn't give it away (like colored frosting) and I just tell my mom that I was bored.
Well, choosing a religion is actually very difficult for some and should not be taken lightly. Have an open mind. And if you have mixed feelings between more than one, mix it up to your own. My best friend did that. She has been raised Protestant, but believed a lot of what Buddhism says, too. So she's a mix of that... and Paganism. And I have no problem with that. It works for her, and she's open-minded with my religion. She even helps me with rituals sometimes.
But really, if you are looking for something that honors the earth and everything in it, my opinion, you might want to look up Wicca, Paganism, or even Druidism. And if you do, or if any of you'd just like to chat about whatever, my AIM is SeirA6ReluR6136.
mandy: … Dude, you frickin rock! Not only have you boosted my ego, but also you made me shocked and surprised. People actually talk about my stories outside of the computer? I actually didn't really think I was good enough to be worthy of a subject of outdoor conversing. And people get their friends into them, too! That kicks ass! Inerasable Sin is actually a story that is being remodeled from my old quizilla quiz chapters that I only got to chapter 11 on then decided to start over here because there was a lot of stuff in it that I didn't like. This one is much better, and they're all turning out to be over twice the length of the old ones. I've made adjustments to this version as the people who migrated from quizilla know. I shall say thanks to you and keep promoting me because you're awesome. I will also have this posted before my birthday because of you (which is the day before Easter… I'll be 17).
And, oh yeah, Hiei is very hot. When I was in middle school I didn't say anything about how I found Matt from the 1st season of Digimon hot, because I thought it was weird. Which it is. But then a girl in my class and I were talking and cartoons were brought up and she talked about how she was obsessed with Escaflowne and how hot the guy was. I was like "Wow. So I'm not the only one who thinks like that?" Its funny, I guess. But I don't really talk about anime outside of the computer anymore because… well I don't really know. But I guess it's more of something I like to keep to myself and people I don't know. You know, something that's sort of mine. But my anime-obsessed cousins know, and one of them got me into Fruits Basket (I love Kyo Sohma!).
Hmm… Matt, Hiei, Kyo… all of them are the strong, silent (Okay, Kyo's not that quiet…) types… Oh yeah, I love strong, silent types! Now you got me to make the connection that I love the strong, silent types. You definitely ARE awesome!
You so deserve a brownie for that lovely paragraph. What's your address? I'll mail it to you.
carianne: total awesomeness as well! No, I don't speak all those languages, but I wish I did. I only know Spanish, which will be used later in the story (Most likely chapter 12). I'm gonna be taking Latin next year, though. So hopefully, I'll be able to correct any words I have in Latin already, though I hope there aren't that many.
I guess that the reason that I'm as good at describing the fight scenes like I do is because I am a 1st Dan in Kempo martial arts (1st Dan is a black belt, and Kempo is a Japanese style). I have been taking the bo staff (my favorite weapon) for six years, know the basic way of handling sais, escrima, and have recently began taking katana lessons (Fun Fun!) I love weapons, but I find nothing better than using good ole' fashion fists and kicks. I just feel more in control and I don't have to worry as much about being disarmed. I guess knowing karate just makes it easier to visualize and describe a body's movements.
Yeah, Christie is my favorite, too. I love her hair! Someday, I'm gonna streak my hair silver… once I find the dye. And I think Halo 2 sucks, too. It bores me oh so very much so. And Spongebob ROCKS:D
Nytmarez: Oh, there'll be more than vamps and werewolves in this. Trust me. And there are a lot of secrets about Life's society that will be revealed much further on in the story. I don't know when though. Maybe chapter 20 at the earliest. I haven't decided yet. Yeah, I like how Hiei keeps calling Life Sweet Cheeks, too. I only decided that when I was typing chapter 7 and I was like "That's funny. I'll keep doing it." Which is obviously what I'm doing. I used to get weird looks from my mom when I laughed at my stories and others, too. Eventually, she gave up trying to figure out what I was laughing about, but now she wants to read my story. And that's a huge no-no! I talk too much about Paganism in here, and I can't let her find out about it. She may make me stop writing (Because I do get into detail about Paganism). But now she's threatening to kick me off, so I made an evil deal with her… She'd get to read one chapter for every episode of Fruits Basket that she watches and pays attention to with me (And I'll quiz her). Then I'll just take the chapters on Word, modify them to take off the comments before and after the chapters start and end, then just tell her that I had to do a lot of research about Wicca to make the story believable. She can read the documents or I could print them out… wait… maybe NOT print them. This is already over a hundred pages as it is. Heheh… And you shall be in the National Guard! The Flame Throwing Department! Oh, and when it comes to rituals for your practice if you become a pagan, when it comes to the holidays, do what I do and just bake something and secretly hold it in honor of the holiday. The Goddess loves whatever you do… you don't have to burn a candle for that. ;)
InuyashaHotSpringsOwner: cool name, for one. And who is the friend? Would it happen to be… mandy? Or who else? Haha. I know you love what I do… because I'm perfection without wheels!(Made that up myself!) And here's your antidote… you shall not die.
Holy crap, that's a lot of replying! It took up two and a half pages on Word! Anyway, on with the story…
Disclaimer: Fortunately for all of you, I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, because if I did, you'd have to pay me for every world read or spoken of them. I'd be RICH! AND I'd own all of the Yu Yu Hakusho DVD's UNEDITED! (Which I'm hopefully getting the first season for my birthday… My mom thinks it's pathetic seeing I'm going to be seventeen.)
"Uniforms?" I exclaimed disbelievingly, "You mean like detective uniforms?" I questioned hopefully.
"No," he answered, "Though I have been wondering when those would be coming in… These are your school uniforms."
"School!"
"That's right," Koenma grinned, obviously pleased with himself.
"Forget it!" Hiei and I found ourselves shouting in sync; looked at each other, "Stop that!" looked away from each other and cross our arms across our chests, "Hn!"
Much to my discomfiture, the outburst earned myself laughs from the rest of the boys in the room, excluding Hiei of course.
I felt my ears starting to burn. "Aww! Life's blushing!"
"SHUT UP!" I roared, feeling the flush in my ears spread to my cheeks. This was so unlike me. I never blushed.
I balanced my left elbow on my folded right armed and hid my face behind spread fingers. I peered back at Hiei who leaned against the wall practically behind the rest of the Reikai Tantei. He had let his uniform drop to the floor as he glared menacingly at it. His cheeks, too, were reddening.
So Makai Boy gets embarrassed, too… I thought to myself.After a few minutes, my face cooled down and the laughter ceased.
"Back on topic…" Koenma spoke, "You'll be attending the same school as Kuwabara and Yusuke."
Hiei's glare switched from the uniform to the teenaged prince. "But I was home schooled," I argued.
Koenma smiled almost evilly, "Ah, yes. I spoke with your mother about that—"
"Shit," I muttered under my breath.
"She informed me the home school ploy was just to help you to avoid being outdoors in the daylight. You have never been competently educated in your life."
"I taught myself everything. I know more than any of them do," I jabbed a finger toward the Tantei.
"Mostly history I assume? The majority of it you experienced first-hand…"
"Not all true, but so?"
"What do you know about algebra? Biology? Geometry? Chemistry? Calculus?"
"I know all the math and science I need to know... I lived 162 years without needing to memorize the periodical table and so have billions of humans and demons. I know enough. I know several languages fluently, thank you very much."
"And why do I have to go?" Hiei asked irritated, "There is no purpose for me to be in a lowly ningen school."
Koenma slightly narrowed his eyes at Hiei, "Because I don't want you around."
That's cold…"That's awfully crude," Kurama murmured.
"That's just whack!" Kuwabara exclaimed.
Hiei glared forebodingly at Koenma but didn't press on. Koenma turned back to me "You're still going, both of you. No excuses." I sent a death glare his way, yet he somehow remained unaffected by it, "Your first day of school starts tomorrow at 8."
"PM?"
"AM! So I suggest you all get home and go to bed."
Grumbling, I followed the boys out into the hall. As I made my way through the living room and on my way to the stairs leading to the rooms, I noticed that I was no longer following Yusuke, Kurama, or Kuwabara. I turned and saw them heading for the hallway leading out of the palace.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Huh?" Urameshi looked at me, "Going home, where else?"
"Why?"
"Tomorrow's Monday. We go home during the weekdays mostly."
"Since when?"
"They always have," Hiei muttered next to me, "You're just asleep when they've been at school."
Oh… I guess it made sense. "I guess I'm staying here…"
"Yes," Kurama answered, "Hiei is, too."
I nodded. "So, we'll see you tomorrow," Kuwabara said.
"If I go.." mumbled silently as I head for the stairs.
"Oh, Life?"
"What is it, Wa Ko?"
"Just letting you know," Kurama said, "Botan will be here to make sure you two don't try to skip school," he smiled, "Bye!"
Grumbling once again, I stomped my way up the stairs behind Hiei. In the hall, Mum and Umeko were playing catch with a red ball outside the doors.
"Getting ready for school?" Mum snickered.
"Shut up. It's your fault. Why do you have to be a gossip-case, anyway?"
"Goodnight," she chirped.
"Hn!" the door slammed behind me, changed out of the leather pants and into the pajama pants. I didn't even bother taking off the very thin material of a hot pink satin string bikini top, and plopped myself on the bed.
This was cruel. Just plain downright cruel. HN! Stupid mothers… What good are mothers anyway besides bringing you life, feeding you, sheltering you, comforting you, clothing you, and educating you?
It was by 11:30 that my grouchiness sub-sided and I drifted to sleep.
ooo
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
WHAT THE FUCK! I shot from the bed almost cat-like and landed on my hands and balls of my feet.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The door… "WHAT!" I screamed, really pissed off to be awoken at—6 in the morning! Who the hell wakes up at—oh yeah. School… Damn…
"Get UP, damnit!" Hiei shouted through the door.
"Forget it," I mumbled just loud enough for him to hear, "I'm not going."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
"YES, YOU ARE!"
"No, I'm NOT!"
There was no counter from the other side of the door. Instead, there were leaving footfalls. I crawled back onto the bed and hid myself under the think blankets and drifted back to sleep… until I felt a strong grip around my chest.
With able to fight back, I felt those arms lift me from the bed and myself being flung over his shoulder. I could not see where he was taking me, for I was still wrapped tightly in the blanket, but I felt his muscles soon stop and a new sound filled my ears. Was that… rain?
When I was tossed into a large bowl I realized it was not rain, but a bathtub… filling with ice-cold water.
I screamed louder than I had in a very long time, and struggled to crawl out of the tub, but with not being able to see and being wrapped in a cocoon, I couldn't move. "HIEI, GET ME OUT OF HERE!" I screamed, only to hear rushing water and snickering, "HIEI! DAMNIT, GET ME OUT OF HERE NOW!"
I continued to struggle, and finally wriggled myself out of the covers and tripped my way out of the tub and onto the floor at Hiei's feet. If this couldn't get any more humiliating…
"Get cleaned up now, kyuuketsuki onna," he glowered with that smirk somehow still planted, "Be ready in an hour." And without another word, he left through the open doorway and jumped off the upper circle past the previously wide glass balcony doors.
I spent a half an hour on my lavatory duties before stepping back into my room. The bag with the so-called "uniform" lay innocently enough on my bed, but still, I approached it with great caution. It can't be that bad… I assured myself before tearing open the bag.
ccc
I sat on the kitchen counter, awaiting my ramen to cook along with the baka kyuuketsuki onna to come down.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE SHITTING ME!"
I smirked to myself, I suffer, you suffer, Sweet Cheeks…
ccc
I stared in horror at the thing. It was hideous. It was horrifying. It was… this!
It was blue a blue skirt, reaching to just below my knees, and a blue long-sleeved collared top, and a yellow scarf-like fabric tied from beneath the collar and revealing the knot near the breast area. And apparently, I was supposed to wear another blue shirt beneath it. The only good this I could say about it was that it didn't show as much as I have seen in other schools, and the sleeves were long. Oh, and how nice of Koenma to give me a shoebox with the pair of white socks I was supposed to wear with the white tennis shoes.
I am not wearing this… I am not wearing this… Then a thought struck me… yet…
ooo
I entered the kitchen with my trench coat and sunshades on.
"We go—ing?" I stared at the Makai demon in almost visible shock. Hiei was glaring… Hiei was… Hiei wasn't… wearing black… blue… like my blue… male uniform… vibrations in my throat… keep control… keep control… keep contr—…
I stifled a snort. Another. And another less heartedly. Then… "Ppuh… Hnhnhnhn—Heheheheheh—Hahahahaha—HAHAHAHAHA—!"
For some odd reason, Hiei sported an I-so-want-to-kill-you-in-the-most-painful-way-possible-within-my-being look. "SHUT UP, ONNA!"
But I just kept laughing. I didn't heed his command at all. It was just too priceless. But, unfortunately, all good things have to end, and it ended after Hiei directed a broken chopstick to my heart.
"Had enough?" he leered.
I finished up with one last snort, and then quickly regained my composure.
"Hn," he turned away from me as we made our way to the Human World portal, "Pig."
From the depths of my throat came one of my true vampire growls, but I said nothing more as we passed through the portal.
ooo
Kurama was kind enough to greet us at the portal entrance about fifteen minutes ago, but now we were at the school to be welcomed by both Urameshi and Kuwabara.
"Made it here alright, you two?" Yusuke questioned, and I seemed to have picked up an almost suggestive tone.
I cocked an eyebrow, but considering I was still a bit pissed that I was forced to be at this prison, I said nothing. The school was rather large and gray. Some odd number of stories and a large yard up front with a high wall almost protecting it from the street. Bustling mortals in uniforms similar to Hiei and mine's swarmed the facility and very well possibly were avoiding the pale woman in a trench coat. A.K.A. Yours Truly.
"Keiko! Hey!" my eyes snapped away from the building and to the female Urameshi seemed to have been directing. The mortal called Keiko brushed her way past the passerby's with a small brown bag strapped to her shoulder. She was attractive. Not the hottest girl in school, but beautiful in her own odd way nonetheless. Her hair was chocolate and shoulder length with bangs, with large eyes that matched. Her skin was fair, most certainly darker than mine; her body was slender and stood about two inches higher than myself. I immediately got the stern, but loveable vibe from her. And I caught the intimate attraction between her and our own detective, as well.
"Hey, Yusuke," she smiled. He slung an arm around her shoulder.
"Nice skirt," he grinned. SMACK!
"Yusuke, you pervert!" she yelled with her had still outstretched. My loveable impression seemed to be leaning out the window. Damn, she can slap…
"What?" the detective whined, rubbing the red handprint on his cheek from the ground he was slapped to, "It's a compliment."
"Humph!" she turned away from him, and seemed to have caught sight of everyone else for the first time, "Oh! Hi, Kurama. Kuwabara… Hiei? I thought you didn't go to school."
Hiei glared at her, "Hn."
"Koenma just sent Hiei and Life here for their first day of school," Kurama explained with his usual smile that seemed to make a crowd of girls twenty feet to the right of him sigh and commence gossip.
"Life…?" her eyes landed on mine, "Oh, so you're with them?"
I nodded, "You close with the detective?" I sniffed the air, "I smell him on you."
She blushed, half embarrassed, half angry… probably at the thought of Urameshi still on the ground and now peeking up her skirt. "Yes," she hissed aggravated and kicked him in the face as to direct him away… exactly what I would have done. I think I'm going to like this Keiko… "I guess you're not human?" she asked after a moment.
I crossed my arms across my chest and stared at random people's feet. "She's on the team now," Yusuke finally stood up, "She's on probation."
She smiled at me, "Nice to meet you, Life," she held a hand out for me to grab.
Tentatively, I reached out and complied, "Likewise," I mumbled with disinterest.
ooo
We all strode within the building together, when a loud, irritating ring filled the halls. I immediately crouched down and covered my sensitive ears, "What the HELL was that!" I cried out in alarm. Over a dozen of the mortals that filled the hall stared at me oddly.
"That was the bell," Kurama crouched down next to me and helped me back up, "It rings at the beginning and end of every class. It'll ring again in a few minutes and those who aren't in their class at that time are tardy."
"How many are there?" I asked, "Classes?"
"Nine, including lunch."
"Where do we go?" Hiei sneered.
"You and Life will have to go to the office to find out what Koenma assigned you guys," Kuwabara said.
"But we have classes to go to, so you two will have to find your own way," Kurama finished.
"But—"
"See you later!" they had already sped off their separate ways, leaving Hiei and myself standing there in the dispersing crowds in the hall.
The both of us could do nothing but stand there like idiots until the bell rang a second time, and only one or two people besides us were left in the hall, running through random doors.
I turned to Hiei "We should look."
"Hn."
The two of us walked side by side down the empty hallways, reading the plaques on the doors, in deep pursuit for the office. We found it twenty minutes later and soon came back out with schedules in hand.
"Name off your classes, Makai Boy."
Hiei was walking a couple paces ahead of me, and in a smart-ass tone, "Why do you want to know?"
My right eye slightly twitched in exasperation, "Because I do. Tell me," I commanded.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No. Forget it."
"Yes. Give it to me."
Hiei rolled his eyes in aggravation, and glanced at his schedule, "Language III."
"Yeah."
"Art,"
"Match."
"Foreign Language: English I."
"Easy."
He glared.
"Got it."
"Hn. Study hall."
"Mm-hm."
"Advanced Math."
"Yes."
"Lunch."
"Indifferent."
"Chemistry."
"Sí."
"World History III."
"Oui."
"Physical Education."
"Sa—not same," I disrupted the beautiful pattern of class schedule-ness, "Psychology/ Sociology?" The fuck was that toddler smoking?
"Probably that you lack social skills," Hiei replied with a mischievous smirk.
"Shut up, Hiei! If anyone needs to improve social skills, it's you... What do they do in physical education?"
"Throw things at each other... Climb an occasional rope... Wear shorts…"
"I'll trade," I offered.
"You can't trade a class," he objected.
I glared, "Whatever."
We both eventually found our 1st period class and entered. The teacher, a male who was apparently giving a lecture, turned to the both of us, "And who are you two?" he questioned. I said nothing, but handed him a slip of paper given to me by the secretary, and watched him read it over. "You both are late. Even for new students."
My face, showing no emotion along with Hiei, "No one told us where the office was."
"But according to the time written on this note, you're both still ten minutes late. You missed over half the class." I had an eerie feeling that I wasn't going to like this man that much.
"No one told us where the class was either," Hiei murmured.
The man sighed, "Very well. My name is Mr. Michiba, and I'm your language arts teacher," turned to the class, "Everyone! This is Hiei Jaganshi and Life Hawthorne. Make them feel... welcome." I spotted Urameshi in the back, not that it was hard considering he was waving his arms frantically in the air. "Mr. Urameshi, I've already told you, no more restroom breaks. You never come back," Michiba said.
Yusuke stopped waving, but still held his arms limply in the air, "But I don't need to use the restroom. I was waving."
"Well, I think they saw you. Mr. Jaganshi, Ms. Hawthorne. Please take your seats."
I found a seat to the left of the detective, and Hiei sat to the left of me, next to the window in the back corner.
"Before we continue, Ms. Hawthorne, I would like you to take off those sunglasses."
"Forget it."
Students gasped. Michiba narrowed his eyes "Excuse me?"
"They're prescription," I lied.
"I see," he stared at me suspiciously, "Well, I doubt that coat of yours isn't prescription. Take it off. It's against dress code."
I glared, "Fine." I stood and pulled off my trench coat, ready for inspection. Students gaped at me—aside from the staring Hiei. I definitely changed my uniform... I was wearing black fishnets, but that wasn't the half of it. I drew little cartoonish cross bone skulls all over my white tennis shoes, random patches were safety pinned all over my skirt, and a few on my shirt. The yellow scarf was gone and I also screwed in pyramid studs rimming the bottom of the skirt. Chains dangled off my waist. There were tears all over the sleeves of the top but were either sewn back together with black string, or replaced with zippers. My pentagram necklace was out for all to see. I looked like a schoolgirl gone bad, and it looked awesome. Half the guys gawked at me, the other half scowled along with all the girls, except one, who I could tell was goth due to the black lipstick and eye makeup. She had the 'Why didn't I think of that?' look on her face.
I sat back down, "Ms. Hawthorne! Would you care to explain why it looks as if you fished your uniform out of a dumpster?" Michiba's face was burning red with anger.
My face remained unemotional "Trust me. This is an improvement."
"And how's that?"
"I don't look like the rest of the flock for one."
"Detention after school, Ms. Hawthorne. I hope you'll enjoy keeping Mr. Urameshi company." I side-glanced at Yusuke who seemed awfully proud of himself.
"Detention?" I asked.
Michiba's back was now facing me, "DCV. Dress code violation."
"Detention?"
"Yes, Ms. Hawthorne. Detention," he growled, his ears boiling. He turned to my desk and set down a pink slip of paper next to my hand. He stepped back to the front of the class and finally continued his lecture.
Detention? "What an asshole," I muttered in English loud enough for everyone to hear.
To my dismay, Michiba once again stopped his lecture and narrowed his eyes at me, "Ms. Hawthorne. How unfortunate it is for you that the only member of the faculty that doesn't speak fluent English is the janitor and I understood every word you just said. Detention for the rest of the week." He continued on with his lecture.
What a jackass… I thought.
"Wouldn't have happened if you didn't ruin your uniform," Hiei butted in my mind.
And lose my dignity like you? Have you even looked in a mirror? I smirked in Hiei's direction as he glowered back.
"Bitch."
Asshole, I snapped back in a more singsong voice.
ooo
Hiei and I continued out quest for the art room through the humble halls. Neither of us even glanced at each other. Kids were giving me weird looks now that my coat was in the locker Yusuke found for me.
"I wish art instructors didn't grade people by talent and taste," I spoke out.
"Hn," Hiei replied, "That was not the least bit random," with absolutely no enthusiasm.
"I took a night course for art twenty years ago. Art teachers grade on a person's talents or their own taste in art. They tell you what to do. I hate that. Art is supposed to be a form of expressing yourself, yet they tell you how to express it."
"Well deal with it. They're going to do the same here," Hiei growled.
"Hn," I scoffed, "How would you know?"
"I'm about as old as you. And not much has changed besides technology and clothes."
I glanced at the Makai demon as the tardy bell rang for the second class, "Haven't you been in Makai all your life?"
He glared at me. "Shut up."
I cocked an eyebrow in victory and remained silent for the five minutes before finding the art room. We entered a nearly full room; only one table remained empty, which we soon occupied. "You're late," a male voice spoke.
"Hn," replied, "Is was just a fix of searching for this room," I turned to the supposed instructor.
I was faintly surprised, because he didn't hold the image of a professor at all. He looked about fifty in mortal existence, yet I've never seen a fifty-year-old male like him. His hair, even tied in the back of his head, reached his mid-back, and light brown. In his sockets was a pair of light blue irises. He wore black jeans held up by a black leather belt with an odd shaped bronze buckle, black clogs, black socks, and a black tee shirt with 'Cirque du Soleil' scripted across in white.
"It doesn't matter," he said, "I was just saying you came here after the bell. No big deal." I had to say after meeting Michiba; I figured all the instructors here were… well… dicks. But this man held something in him that was impossible to loathe… whatever it was.
I could do nothing but dimly nod and peer at Hiei, whose face was emotionless toward mine.
"I already told everyone else," he motioned toward the other students who seemed to either fear or hate us, "My name is Mr. Ray. I just moved here with my wife over the summer from the United States."
He was so unlike a teacher. Just… odd compared to others. But it was interesting. If he looked this far apart from them, how much would he act apart from them?
"Now, lemme' tell you all something I really hate," he spoke to the entire class, "Art teachers who teach you how to do everything. Who grade you on talent and their own taste in art. Teachers who tell you to express yourself then they tell you how to express it…"
Holy shit…"I'd wish for something else quick, before your luck runs out," I glanced at Hiei, who still kept the straight face, but I could swear his eyes held major amusement.
"I am not here to stand and teach," Ray continued, "I am here to confuse you rather than answer your problems through lessons. I want you to leave here with more questions than you came here with."
Hiei was right. This was one Hell of a stroke of luck. A girl raises her hand, "What are you saying?" she asked.
The pony tailed man held up his hand, "There will be no need to raise your hand in this class... You have something to say, just say it... Anyway, what I'm saying is for you to think for yourself... Art is the only subject in school that you actually have to think, and that's what I want you to do."
Looking around the class I saw an ocean of confused and shocked faces. "But we do have to think in other classes—"
"No. You have to remember in every other class. This is the only one you think," Mr. Ray interrupted a boy.
"We have to think on how to figure problems in math, though," a girl spoke.
"You have to remember how to add and subtract. Art is a puzzle, a way to express yourself. You have to think to solve a puzzle, to express yourself on paper or whatever."
Some of the kids seemed to understand what he was saying... I understood perfectly well, but I wasn't able to tell whether Hiei did or not.
"Now, for your first assignment" Ray ended the debate, "I want a four by four cube. Make it into whatever you want. Be creative. But the catch is, there can be no top or bottom. You can set it on whatever face and it's not upside up or upside down. Listen to exactly what I say and don't say. You all have the rest of the week for this project. Scissors, glue, paper, rulers, and exacto-knives are over there. And I want no bloodshed or brain and noodle soup on the floor. The janitor just swept before school even started. Begin."
Students began to scurry about the classroom; grabbing paper, scissors, glue, and whatnot. Mr. Ray sat at a random table and just started carrying on conversations with the students. Hiei was sitting with his arms across his chest. "Aren't you going to do anything?" he questioned irritably.
"Lovely to know you care about my education," I replied sarcastically, "But, maybe you need to consider your own." He scowled and said nothing more. I too, sat there in silence, deep in thought.
Ten minutes later, I felt a light probing in my mind, Get out.
"Hn," Hiei grunted, and I felt his presence in my head cease. A preppy looking female mortal at that moment decided to be nice enough to travel three feet out of her way to elbow me in the head as she passed. Normally, I would have pounced on that black-haired bitch and sucked her dry. Fortunately for her, the knock to the skull brought up an idea.
I stood and made my way toward the door when a voice sounded out, "Where're you going, Miss—"
"Hawthorne," I answered, "I need to get something…"
"I can't let you out unless you need to use the restroom," he grinned, and the glint in his eyes gave me the message.
"I need to go to the lavatory," I spoke.
"Look both ways before you cross the hall," he smiled.
I smirked and left to retrace my steps. After a few minutes of hall wandering, I found what I was looking for. A vending machine. A mortal food-dispensing machine invented by, of course, mortals. I had caught a glimpse of this thing after Hiei and I had left the office at the beginning of the morning.
I stood in front it, peering at its contents… Funyuns… M&M's… Pop Tarts… Cheezits… Hmmm… those orange squares on the bag, I assume, are the Cheezits… I pressed the letter and number Cheezits signified. And to my frustration, the machine beeped at me.
'Please insert correct change'. Correct change? Correct change? I'll give it 'correct change'…
I gripped the end of my skirt and bit a tiny hole, making a couple fabric strings fray. I pulled one loose, retrieving about a foot and a half of string. With the string in my hand, I got to my knees and slid my hand inside the door flap of the contraption. I focused my energy into my left hand, which held the string, and from the tips of my fingers, to the tip of the string began to glow a light purple.
"Verbero," the string lashed out and wrapped around the bag of Cheezits, and with a mental tug, fell down into the dispenser box. Yes…
ooo
"What the hell are you doing?" Hiei interrogated in an annoyed tone.
"Working," I replied; a bag of Cheezits and a hot glue gun on the table in front of me "You should try it. Now shut up and let me concentrate." I spent the rest of the class working diligently on the project, not failing to catch stares the entire time.
ooo
Finished… It was a few minutes before the end of the period when I looked over my completed work. It was quite magnificent. True genius.
"You didn't do it right," the bitchy voice of the mortal who gave me the idea in the first place spoke in a smart-ass tone.
"Yes I did," I replied nonchalantly.
"No, you didn't."
"Oui."
"NO."
"Yes, she did," Mr. Ray finally spoke up. I glanced at his smiling visage, "Life, this is beautiful," he held up the hollow cube made of Cheezits, "Nicely glued together, too."
The girl who had earned the name 'Bitch' by me was flabbergasted, "Bu—but, it has to be four inches by four inches!"
"No," he replied, "I said four by four. It doesn't have to be inches… it doesn't even have to be paper." He carefully set the cube on the table in front of me, "I'm trying to unteach you what you've been taught."
I grinned. He really was a great mortal. Even some members of the Council should envy his mind.
The irritating sound of the bell rang into the room and halls, and students began to drain themselves through the door. I too, made my way to follow Hiei, but was held back by the hand of Mr. Ray.
"Life, your idea was brilliant. Simple and brilliant—"
"Don't flatter her anymore," Hiei growled from the doorway, "It'll go to her head."
I glared at the Makai demon and turned back to the instructor, "You got a hundred on this. Not that grades mean much," Mr. Ray finished.
I smirked in a manner of thanks and finally left the class.
ooo
Hiei and I had been five to ten minutes late for all of our classes from that point. By lunch, Hiei had driven me to the fine brink that separated the sane from the insane… and vice versa. We both played our parts in annoying each other. I had my trench on in the schoolyard at a picnic table with the mortal, Keiko, Kurama, Urameshi, and Kuwabara; whereas Hiei planted himself in a tall, nearby apple tree. I could only say I was thankful that the tree shaded the picnic table I was positioned in.
Though, I could also say I wasn't thankful of the fact that Keiko and I were forced to watch Yusuke and Kuwabara in utmost disgust as they stuffed their faces with all the food they could get a hold of.
"How could you be his admirer? He's revolting!" I questioned in the most grossed out tone I could summon.
Keiko held her forehead with her elbow resting on the table, shook her head, "I know, sometimes I wonder myself."
"Feh-ey!" Yusuke whined, breadcrumbs sputtered from his mouth and landed everywhere, including Kurama's salad. Kurama raised his eyebrows, and tossed his salad in the garbage.
"But I love him anyway," Keiko finished with a reluctant sigh.
"Fth-ank 'ou," Yusuke said, more breadcrumbs flying.
"What I am curious about is how she sucks his tongue when he keeps stuffing his face," Hiei spoke, a smirk played across his visage. I nibbled my lip in attempt to hold back a grin. Kurama bit his thumb, and Kuwabara burst out into a hysteric laughter as Yusuke's face burned violet with fury, and Keiko blushed madly. Of course, I wasn't grinning for long, because Kuwabara's laughter sent chewed pieces of chicken into my hair and face.
"EEWWWW!" I reached across the table, smacked him hard upside the head, and leapt onto the branch in the tree below Hiei's. I sat cross-legged on the branch and began to pick off the chicken from my hair and face, flicking it away and cringing whenever I found a new piece. Hey, I may have flipped out, but it was disgusting! I heard snickering above me when I plucked out a larger piece, so I threw it at the voice.
"Gah!" Hiei waved his arms frantically, causing him to lose his balance and fall out of the tree. I snickered and flicked another piece of chicken at him.
Hiei glared back and stood to pounce at me when "Hiei, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Kurama warned.
"And why not, Shuichi?" he snapped.
"Because Mr. Michiba is standing over there," he motioned over toward the bastard language instructor who stood in the open, eyeing all the students.
Hiei turned to me and narrowed his eyes, "Hn," and reluctantly took a seat next to Kurama at the picnic table. I finished picking the chicken off me and lay back on the branch, closing my eyes, hoping to catch a few Z's.
"Life?" Kuwabara's annoying voice rang through my ears.
Damn him… "What!" I snapped, aggravated at him.
Kuwabara was slightly taken aback by my harshness, "W-w-well, Yusuke and I were talking..."
"And?"
"You know how Umeko is calling you mom?" Yusuke's voice sprung up.
I opened an eye, "So?"
"So who's the dad?" Kuwabara blurted out.
The question was shocking enough to knock me out of the tree. I quickly picked myself up and brushed the dirt off my clothes, "What!" I wasn't the only one shocked by the question. Kurama, Hiei, and Keiko seemed stunned, too; along with a few people from another table who heard him, and were now whispering to each other like mad.
"Well," Urameshi started, "She does need a dad. And your mom is like her grandma... So we thought that maybe one of us could be her dad."
I was beyond bewildered, "Uh... um… fine... Yusuke, you can be the dad."
"BUT I WANT TO BE THE DAD!" Kuwabara griped, which turned a few more foreign heads.
"Fuck, Kuwabara!" I forced a whisper, "Could you keep it down?" I shoved myself on the bench beside Kuwabara, "There's only one way to solve this..." I continued, "M.A.S.H."
All at the table shared confused glances. "What's that?" Keiko asked, unsure.
"It's an old child game invented I-don't-know-when," I replied, "It's easy. Kur—Shuichi, give me paper." Kurama complied as I snatched his pen as well. I drew a decent sized box at the top of the page and wrote 'M.A.S.H.' in hefty size. "It's a game mainly for girls that's said to tell your future. You have a whole bunch of categories, such as future husband; dress color; kind of cake; locations of the wedding, honeymoon, and home; what kind of car you'll have; how many kids; what kind of pet; will you be rich, normal, or poor; will you get a divorce…" I wrote the categories on the paper as I spoke them, "And of course, what kind of house you'll live in, which is what M.A.S.H. stands for: mansion, apartment, shack, and house.
"You write four things under each category," I wrote all four of the boys' names under husband, "…wait…"
"What?" Kuwabara questioned.
"One of you is going to be the dad. So, what is everyone else going to be?"
"Uncles!" Urameshi declared.
"Err… sure," I added the category of uncles, but then also added godfather. There had to be some other special title. I added the boys' names under each of the categories.
"Make it only three choices," Hiei muttered, "I'm not in on this…"
"Yes, you are. Deal with it," I snapped absent-mindedly; almost like a reflex.
"…Hn."
I added random things under the other categories, and then placed the pen in the center of the previously drawn box, "Someone tell me when to stop," I said and began making a spiral.
"Stop," Keiko spoke after about five seconds. I counted the lines from one side to the other.
I wrote the number 9 on the top of the paper and counted down the choices of the categories… Cake: vanilla was crossed off. The ringing of the damn bell disrupted me, "I'll have it finished by the end of school."
ooo
I heard bad things about detention. Some say you go crazy. Others say you don't really become crazy, but the after-scent of the druggies just makes you high. But, either way, detention was where I was… Urameshi lead me here. Speaking of druggies, there was surprisingly only one in there, and Hiei was perched on the windowsill.
"What'd you do?" I interrogated.
"Hn."
I took a seat on the desk near him; the detective plopped down next to me. We all sat in silence for about ten minutes.
"Do you know the results," it sounded more like a statement than a question when it came from Hiei. "Maybe," I teased, though I finished it the previous period.
"Well, what are they?" Urameshi urged.
I smirked, "Because I'm just going to tell you without everyone else being here. I'll make you wait."
"Aw, come on! Please?" he begged.
"Forget it."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"NO! Get it through your thick skull!" It was silent for five more minutes...
"Please?"
"Urameshi, I'm going to throw you out the window!" Another five minutes go by...
"Pleeease, Life."
I said nothing, but stood and walked next to Hiei and opened up the window. I grabbed the detective by the collar and flung the resistant Yusuke headfirst out the window.
"OW! LIFE! THAT HURT!"
I rolled my eyes "Please. We're on the first floor. The drop wasn't even three feet."
Yusuke's head popped up from behind the wall, "Yeah, but I landed on the back of my neck..."
"Not my fault," I sat at a completely different seat, near the druggie.
The druggie was smoking a cigarette; he turned to me, "Want one?" he held out the pack toward me.
"Nah, I quit a long time ago."
"That's cool," he smirked, "Yamato," he held out a hand for me to grab.
"Life," I grasped his hand and just as soon release it. Looking him over, he didn't look too bad, despite the slight shade beneath his eyes. Medium-short length brown hair that stuck out every which way, dark brown eyes and a goatee. "When does detention end?"
He shrugged, "About five minutes."
"I see." More silence.
"Hey, you wanna go somewhere after this?" he asked.
"Like whe—" I was just yanked off the desk by the wrist.
"Oh, no you don't!" Yusuke demanded, "She is not going anywhere with you!"
"Urameshi! Knock it off!" I glowered.
"Life," he mumbled in my ear, "He's bad news. You don't wanna be messing with guys like him."
"I can mess around with whomever I want to. I'm older than you," I retorted.
"Well, whether he was the one who asked you or not... We're busy today. We've got to go to work after detention."
I yanked my wrist from his grasp, "Hn!" I turned to Yamato, "Rain check?" I would have said no in the first place, but Yusuke's ranting just made me want to piss him off. It was working. Steam seemed to be fuming from his ears.
"Fine," Yamato replied, "It's a date."
"Guess so."
ooo
"You're not going out with him," Yusuke ordered me. I was seated on the recliner in the living room, letting most of Yusuke's talking go in one ear and out the other. I had been sitting there doing that for the past half hour.
"Detective, you realize she's not listening to you..." Hiei growled, sitting on the windowsill.
"You will NOT be seeing him! You will NOT!"
"I'm not doing as you say..."
"She's only decided to see him at all because of you, Detective."
"Because of me!"
"She's doing this to piss you off."
Kuwabara suddenly walked in; the brown rabbit, Kuri in his hands. Kurama, Keiko, and Botan followed.
"Life?" he asked for my attention.
"What?"
"Um... are you done with the results yet?"
I had been staring out into space the entire time, and a smirk crept from the corner of my mouth.
"They're done?" I scanned all their faces; all eager to know the results… excluding Hiei who wished that he was never in them.
"Umeko has got herself an Uncle Yusuke and Uncle Kuwabara."
"No! I wanted to be the dad!" Kuwabara pouted.
"We know," I remarked, "Anyway... My wedding will take place in Germany where I'll be wearing a white wedding gown and caramel flavored cake will be served. Kurama... you are... the godfather."
"WHAT!" Hiei nearly shrieked, outraged.
"Yes, Hiei. Our honeymoon will be on a cruise ship. We're going to live in a shack in Japan, where we'll drive our six kids to school every morning in our black Silverado. The dog will stay at home and guard the rickety abode. We'll never get divorced and I'm going to support our family as a tomato picker."
This made everyone else laugh. Hiei, however, wanted to rip my head off. "You rigged it, didn't you?"
I rolled my eyes "Why would I rig M.A.S.H. to have me live in a shack? Or marry you, nonetheless?"
"You rigged it to make me Umeko's 'dad'."
"Trust me, I would rather have Yusuke as her father than you... but Yusuke's an uncle, which makes Keiko here an aunt." Keiko blushed slightly, though I really didn't know why.
"What would that make me?" Botan asked in a nearly pout-tone.
"Godmother."
Botan's cheeks tinted red along with Kurama's, "Don't Godparents have to be married?"
I shook my head "Course not... Some godparents are siblings." The red flushed out of the two's faces.
I turned to Hiei "So, Honey—"
A katana was found pressed at my throat, "Don't call me that!"
I only chuckled. I only said that to get a reaction out of him. This is going to be fun...
So, that's this chapter! Yes! Out a week and two days before my birthday! (By the way, I expect to be flourished with gifts…) And to let you all know, I really did play a real game of M.A.S.H. to get those results. It turned out all too well. I had an idea planned for each of them, depending on which I got. This and Kuwabara's options were my favorites!
And I loved the way the results came flying at me… In fact, I loved it so much, that if I don't get at least eight results this time, I'll stop writing them here and put them somewhere else where you guys won't find them! Mwahahaha! I'm so evil! And there wouldn't even be hints to where it'd be. It could be on another fan fiction site, or I could even make a site of my own. Mwahahaha! Evil laughs are fun, too.
REVIEW PLEASE!
The Hidden Pagan (a.k.a. Seira Relur)