Chapter 5: Incognito

A/n: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Thoughts

Telepathic speech

Recap:

A videotape is playing with the Koenma's teenage face on the screen. "By now you have all heard that Yukina has started school at Sarayashiki High School. (A/n: Sarayashiki is really a junior high school, but for the purpose of this fic I'm dubbing it a high school.) Because of this, Yusuke I expect you to attend all of your classes. Also, Hiei and Siruki will start school in two weeks. This way I'll be able to keep track of all of you. Botan, you will come to the Reikai to be briefed with further details." The tape ends with many questions unanswered.

"WHAT KIND OF MISSION IS THAT! 'Yusuke I expect you to attend all of your classed'" Yusuke mocks Koenma's voice, "I bet you he's been talking to Kayko. And who is he to tell me to go to all my classes. It's his fault I've missed a lot of classes. The toddler and his stupid missions."

"Now, now Yusuke you know that's not true. You ditched school today, and that had nothing to do with Koenma-sama." Botan scolds.

"Yeah, yeah what ever. Well, at least Kayko will be happy."

Botan decides to make lunch. It becomes quiet apparent to Siruki that her new roommate is not the most talented cook in the world. The rest of the group conveniently became engaged with various activities, so that they couldn't stay for lunch.

The Sunday afternoon air becomes filled with thick black smoke. The truly sad thing is that 'microwave' she used, is not what is casing all the smoke. Siruki sighs. She sits by the open window and causes a light wind to carry the smoke away.

"I can't believe the oven caught on fire like that!" Botan cries using a large fire extinguisher to calm the flames. "I didn't even use it!"

Once the disaster is averted, Botan places a microwaveable burrito in front of a curious Siruki. "So what do you call this?" she asks poking at the strange object with her finger.

"It's a frozen burrito. They make them in the United States. There pre-cooked and frozen." Botan explains, biting into a charred corner.

After seeing Botan bit into it, Siruki cautiously eats her own. Yuck, how can she just sit there eating this with that cheery smile? I'm never letting her cook again. Siruki succeeds in conquering the black coal, Botan called lunch. Amazingly, she was also able to keep a pleasant face through out the ordeal.

"Well, how about we go shopping? You're going to need some human cloths, if you want to fit in the Ningenkai." Botan thinks out loud to herself, "I wonder if Kayko and the other girls will be up to an afternoon at the Mall?"

"What's a mall?" Siruki asks.

Botan looks as if she's been slapped a crossed the face. "What do you mean you don't know what a mall is!" Botan looks almost breathless, and then clarity comes to her face like a wave. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot you're a demon, and you haven't been in Ningenkai very long." She takes a deep breath, "The Mall is a large shopping center that humans go to for various things, such as cloths, electronics, etcetera. I'm going to call Kayko and the other girls."

Siruki sets on the living room couch, also her new bed, and waits for Botan to finish talking on the phone. Well at least my headache is finally gone. I wonder what this school will be like. It most be a horrible place, if Yusuke put up such a fuse. What I've heard about it isn't very pleasant. She cringes at the thought of being confined to a small room with several human children. Well, I can read human, so that should come in handy.

Botan finishes her conversation and informs Siruki that Kayko, Shizuru, and Yukina will be joining them on their expedition. "Before we go, do you want to take a shower?" Botan asks, noting some mud still clutching to Siruki's hair.

"A shower?" Siruki asks unaware of what a shower is.

"Yes, and you can barrow some of my clothes until we can find you something more suitable." Botan offers, as she walks out of the kitchen.

Siruki still oblivious as to what Botan is saying decides to fallow her.

Botan's room is as cheery and bright as the rest of the apartment. She has a small futon that lies on the floor, and is furnished with a light blue bedspread. In the corner sits a chest of drawers. There is a large walk in closet opposite the entryway. The walls like the rest of the house are light pink and the floor is covered in thick white shag.

Botan proceeds in pulling several cloths out of her drawers. She then goes to her closet and pushes hanger after hanger a side. After making a large stack on her bed, she looks satisfied. "Let's see here…" she holds up a t-shirt measuring it agents Siruki. "It will be kind of long, considering you're shorter then I am." She also pulls out a pair of overall paints.

Siruki turns the paints over and over around in her hands, trying to figure out how to put them on. "So what is a shower, anyway?"

Pour shock is slowly replaced by a red blush on Botan's face. "Y…you d…d…don't know w…w…what a shower is?" she manages to stutter.

"No."

"It's a bath. You mean you've never taken a bath before?"

Slight pink comes to Siruki's usual calm face, "I've bathed before. Are you saying I stink?" anger replaces embarrassment.

"No, you smell fine, but I thought you would like to get the mud out of your hair, and freshen up, before we go out." Botan corrects her mistake quickly, with a cheery smile.

"I suppose a bath would be nice." Siruki's ears relax, after being raised in anger and surprise.

"Well the bathroom is this way." Botan snicks out of the room.

The bathroom is situated neatly between the living room (Siruki's bedroom) and Botan's room. It is a fairly good size for the size of the apartment. It slightly stands out because, unlike the rest of the house, the walls are baby blue, and the flour is a light pink with white throw rugs. A shower stall sits in a corner of the room. A large mirror framed by a string of lights back drops the sink. A large tub sits on the far wall under a window. Tucked in the corner is the thrown, also called the toilet.

Botan walks to the shower stall and points to the faucet. "The further right you turn the hotter the water and the further left the colder the water. Just pull it out and the water will start." She looks at Siruki to see if she understood.

"Simple enough"

"Alright just put your clothes in the hamper. I put your cloak in the dryer before you woke up, so it should be dry by now." Botan explains further.

"Alright"

"I'll be back in a few minutes. I have to meet with Koenma-sama." Botan steps out of the bathroom and leaves for Reikai.

"Well at least I'm finally alone." Siruki sighs, slipping off her louse black pants and tugging at the violet tank top.

After shedding her garments she lightly steps into the shower stall. After inspecting a few interesting bottles and reading their instructions, she sets the faucet in the center hoping not to burn herself, and pulls it out. The showerhead quickly pours out a hard thick stream of freezing cold water. "AAAAHHHH IIIITTTT'SSSS RAININGGG INSSSSIIIIDDDDE!"

After an interesting experience with human grooming, Siruki starts the strenuous task of figuring out the overalls.

Yusuke grudgingly walks to Kayko's house. Yes, I narrowly escaped Botan's cooking. Of course I've gone from the frying pan to the fire. Man, I know Kayko's going to kill me. Well maybe she'll let me off since I've got to go to school, on Koenma's orders. No, that'll only give Koenma brownie points. No. I've got it I'll tell her…

Yusuke never got to finish his thought as Kayko ran out of her house late to help at the Ramen shop. Of course she wasn't too late to stop and knock Yusuke out as he sat on her doorstep deep in thought

Meanwhile in Reikai, Botan meets with a short toddler Koenma. "Botan, is Siruki adjusting well?"

"Yes, I think she is. We are going to the mall in a little while with the girls. Oh, which reminds me I'm putting to days little outing on my expense account. And I should be heading back. I left Siruki alone, and I hope my apartment is in one piece by time I get back." Botan explains, stopping only to take a short breath. "Why do you want Siruki to go to school anyway? I understand that Hiei would go just to keep an eye on Yukina, but why Siruki?"

"It really isn't the easiest thing to keep track of everyone, and I don't trust Siruki. With everyone in school anyway, it will be easier to keep my eye on her. Her file was very short, and what was in there was vague. I did add some interesting facts, after Kurama informed me of a conversation Hiei and he had with Siruki. Here have a look for yourself." Koenma hands the thin manila folder over to Botan. "Since she will be staying with you, I'll give you this as heads up of what you will be dealing with."

Botan flips through three short pages of very little information. The first page consists of a two by three inch picture that vaguely resembles the demon she will be rooming with. Her name is typed a few spaces below her picture. The space for her age and date of birth is filled with the word unknown. On the second page, there is a short list of crimes, nothing too serious to date, except for the illegal entry into the Ningenkai. A note on the bottom of the page catches Botan's eye, crimes suspected of, but not convicted. A list of more serious allegations much long then the one before follows. "Torture and murder?" Botan squeaks slightly, surprised by the new revelation.

"Yes, but she was never convicted of those crimes. I was a bit unsettled by that discovery, myself. I don't think you have anything to worry about, however. Just because she was accused of such crimes doesn't mean she committed them."

"Are you still sure she can be trusted? Do you think it safe to have her attend a human school?" Botan says still startled.

"I never said I trusted her, but so far she hasn't given us a reason not to. Besides what better way to keep her out of trouble then to have her supervised by the enter team during the day? It's the perfect plan. You can watch her because she'll be staying with you, and during the day, while you work here, the boys can keep an eye on her at school." Koenma explains, "Which reminds me, this mission is totally incognito. I don't want one word about Makai or Reikai. Do you understand?"

"Yes Koenma-sama."

"You can keep the file. I have the original. Also, all of the arrangements have been made. Hiei and Siruki are to report to the school tomorrow for their schedules, supply lists, and uniforms. The Monday after, they start their first day of school. In the mean time, I want you to get as much information about our new teammate as possible. The file says that she can read and write, but you need to get her a costumed to life in the Ningenkai."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, you are dismissed."

Botan slowly unlocks her front door taking in a deep breath, Koenma I hope you're right and I don't have to worry about waking up with my throat cut. She places her cheery smile back on and thinks more pleasant thoughts. She walks into her apartment relieved to find everything the way she had left it. As she walks down the hall, she inspects each room trying to find Siruki. "Siruki, where are you?" she finally calls out.

"In here." She is answered from the kitchen. Botan walks into the kitchen to find a shabby looking Siruki, sharpening knives.

Siruki looks like a three year old who has attempted to dress herself in her mother's cloths. One of the straps is buckled on the wrong button and is twisted around the other strap. The overalls hang very long and cover the short apparition's feet. Half of the shirt is tucked in while the over half hangs sloppily out.

"You didn't say it would start raining on me when I pulled that leaver." Siruki cringers at the thought of ever bathing like that again.

Botan is tempted to laugh, but is stopped when she realizes Siruki is holding a butcher's knife. "What are you doing?" she squeaks out.

"Shaping you knives," Siruki explains, "They are very dull. Don't you ever sharpen them?"

"Um, I don't remember the last time I did."

"Well, you really should sharpen the blades before and after you use them." Siruki explains. No wonder this girl can't cook. She doesn't even know to how care for her knives. Siruki mentally sighs at Botan's ignorance in the kitchen. She finishes her task, places the knife back in its holder, and walks over to Botan.

Botan takes in a deep breath relieved that Siruki didn't decide to slit her throat. "Um, do you need some help with those overalls?"

Siruki's ears slightly fall at the suggestion, but swallowing her prides she answers, "Yes, if you don't mind."

Botan quietly chuckles as she untwists and tucks at the unruly garments. "There we go." she smiles and then adds, "I put your shoes by the door. We should head out to meet up with the others now."

The sun shines brilliant rays over the drying ground. Siruki had wisely tucked her ears into her hair. Her fangs posed a problem how ever. Do to their unusual size and shape at least one tended to prorogue over her lip. She had always found that tucking them under, where they could not be seen, caused her lip to be soar from the constant rubbing. The violet eyes were dismissed as contact lenses or a rare eye color trait.

Botan leads the way to a large building. It stands three stories tall. The outside is furnished with stucco walls and large tinted windows. She stops and sits on a park bench just before the entrance. "Kayko and Shizuru are on their way. Kayko is helping at her parents Ramen shop, and Shizuru is going to pick her up. Yukina is coming from Genkai's temple. So we'll just wait right here for them."

Siruki sighs and leans against a near by tree. I wander who these people Botan keeps talking about are. The Kayko girl I think is the one Yusuke kept talking about. I wonder if she is his mate. As Siruki is lost in her own thoughts the group of girls slowly start to assemble. Botan greets each new arrival with a friendly wave.

"So where's this new demon?" Shizuru asks, exhaling a puff of smoke.

"Oh yes!" Botan says waving Siruki over. "This is Siruki. She's been trapped in a cave for the last month." Botan explains like it's an everyday occurrence.

Siruki gives a polite bow to the group, "And who are all of you?"

"I'm KaykoYukimura," a girl with short brown hair responds, "it is very nice to meet you Siruki."

"I'm Shizuru Kuwabara, you probably have already met my baby brother, Kuzuma." the tallest of the girl says. She smiles when Siruki cringes slightly at her brother's name.

"You don't look anything like him." Siruki adds softly.

"I take that as a complement."

"Kuzuma really is a very nice person." a soft voice comes from behind the group. They turn to find a small girl with light blue-green hair and red eyes. "Hello."

"Oh, Yukina, I'm glade you could make it." Botan chirps, "This is Siruki." she points to the demon to her right, "Siruki this is Yukina."

The two exchange hellos as they walk into the mall. Yukina smells familiar. Siruki notes to herself. The mall is filled with people going up, down, left, and right. Little kids cry as their parents try to drag them out of toy stores. Large groups move together like a packs of wolves. Now I know why Botan wanted to have reinforcements. Siruki readies herself for an attack.

"We'll try this place first." Botan says grabbing Siruki's arm and pulling her into a large apartment store.

Caught off guard by Botan's jerk, Siruki nearly falls over. Upon entering the store the girls disperse into the jungle of clothing, leaving Siruki in the isle. But before the feeling of isolation and anxiety can set in, the girls return and stack a large array of cloths in her arms. And before she can ask what to do with them, the girls once again disappear. This continues until Siruki is nothing but two feet supporting a mountain of clothing.

"That's a good start." Kayko says. "Where are the dressing rooms?"

"They're over here." Botan calls.

Shizuru lightly guides the stack of clothing to the nearest dressing room. "Just set those down, and step into the dressing room. We'll hand you things to try on."

Siruki shakes her head no, but is not seen through the tower she is supporting. The dressing room is a small cramped closet with a cretin for a door. Despite the small size, Siruki takes in a deep breath, feeling at ease for the first time since entering the mall. Suddenly small pills of cloths start to sprout up on the floor around her. Looking up she realizes they are being thrown over the cretin and into the small room.

"There try those on and come out and model for us." Botan calls.

Not really understanding what Botan means by model, Siruki proceeds to try on the various items on the floor.

"Oh, and I found a few bras for you. I wasn't sure about you size so I got a bunch." Botan adds quietly, a strip of pink appears across her cheeks.

Siruki emerges from the cretin. She successfully put on some paints, with a skirt on top. The t-shirt looks a bit awkward, with the bra over it, upside down, and worn like a belt. Shizuru brakes down in full laughter, while Kayko and Botan keep it to light chuckles. Yukina smiles a polite smile.

"What is so funny?" Siruki asks once again oblivious to what could possible be wrong.

The girls continued to go from store to store, educating Siruki in human clothing along the way. By time they reach the second floor it is dinner time. Kayko suggests they order a pizza to feed the five of them. The food court is expansive. Hundreds of white tables and white chairs litter the large area. Food stands line the walls, and large lines protrude into the hall.

Yukina and Siruki sit together, while the rest of the group brings back the pizza. "What kind of demon are you?" Yukina asks, "If you don't mind me asking." she quickly adds.

"Oh, I don't mind. I'm not really sure what I am exactly, but I control wind currents. You're an ice apparition, correct?"

"Yes, I'm a Koorime. How did you know?"

"Well the air around you is slightly cooler then the air in the room. So the warm air moves tours you instead of away. You're the one Kuwabara was going on about in the cave. Is he your mate?" Maybe that's who she smells like? Siruki adds to herself.

Yukina turns a little pink, "No, Kuzuma is a very good friend."

"Oh." Siruki kind of feels bad that the youth's affections for the girl are one sided.

"He helped save me from some bad men. He's really funny. He says some of the craziest things." Yukina smiles to herself.

Or maybe there is some hope for Kuwabara. The rest of the group returns. Shizuru is carrying a large pizza. She sets it down on the table and everyone reaches for a slice, except for Siruki.

"Siruki, aren't you hungry?" Kayko asks.

"No, I'm fine." The truth is my stomach is unsettled from lunch. Siruki sighs, taking in her surroundings, and longing for her cave.

"Well after dinner we should head home." Shizuru says, "My feet are killing me."

In a park on the other side of town, Hiei and Kurama walk down a path together. "So what do you think of Siruki?" Kurama asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Well she is going to start school with you, so do you think you can get along with her?"

"Hn, I think she's bossy."

Kurama gets a questioning look on his face, "What do you mean?" then with a small smile adds, "So is she the reason you come and sat at the fire with the rest of us yesterday?"

"Hn"

"Well I suppose she is attractive?"

"Don't be dumb, Fox. She's just another person to get in my way." Hiei says rolling his eyes, "Besides we should have just killed her." Kurama chuckles to himself, "What's so funny!" Hiei snaps.

"Oh, nothing," Kurama continues to smile slyly to himself.

"You know, for being the best bluffer I know, you're a terrible liar."

"Why Hiei, I'm hurt." he responds sarcastically.

Siruki stands tiredly, behind Botan, waiting for her to open the door. In each hand she holds several large shopping bags.

"Here we go." Botan sighs opening the door. "You can set the bags in the living room."

"Alright" Siruki says already at the doorway of her bedroom.

"I'll see you in the morning. I'm going to bed. There is a stack of blankets for you by the couch. Good-night."

"Good-night?" Siruki responds, as she quietly leaves the apartment.

A/n: Chapter ssssooooo long. I don't know if they are ready for school just yet. It will ether be in the next chapter of the chapter after that, when they finally start classes. It is kind of ironic that they are going to start school and I'm on summer brake.

EternalMidnight: Yes the key to any girl's heart is good Kuwabara bashing.

HieiFan666: School is annoying. Koenma kind of sounded like one of those public awareness ads that tell you "Stay in school."
Kuwabara should be proud of himself. After all if he wasn't around whom would we pick on?

Nay-Chan: I'm so glade you liked my fic. I'm ecstatic that you find my fic to be unique because that's what I hope it is.
Siruki's name was made up by one of my friends at school. I went through several different names until she let me use her brilliant mind to dub Siruki, Siruki.