Wheee! We are on a roll!

For the reviewers… if any…

Susaku: O! Ask and you shall receive dude.

Shiruba Fokkusu: (lol) I get high and erratic reading my stories too. And you want to know my update-so-fast-secret? I type the entire story, then post each chapter as I get at least five reviews. All I have to do is respond and post! Sh! Don't tell anyone else (winks).

Chibikuro rose-sama: Thank you. (hands Kurama plushie) If I do say so myself, I think this story is getting better and better too.

Animefouryou: Again with the no punctuation? Ah whatever. Ask and you shall receive darling, thankies for your review.

Rei Minamino: Thank you. Even as I was writing this I was eager on how Youko was to meet Shiori. And as always, ask and you shall receive.

On with the fic…! Wait, not yet… hold up…

Kurama: Well…
Specter:
Hiei: Well what?
Kurama: Nothing.
Specter:
Hiei: Then why did you say anything?
Kurama: Can't I just say something without anyone biting off my head anymore? Kuronue did that all the time, then I'd steal his hat to make him shut up.
Specter: O.O
Hiei: So… what?
Specter: -- Hiei you say all the wrong things, you know that…
Kurama: Pouts lip and slowly starts crying
Hiei: Crud… Kami, stop crying kitsune…Do something!
Specter: shakes head Uh-un; you're on your own.

………………………………………………

…………….No words can soothe him…………

………………………………………………

Chapter Four

Youko's POV
It's already quarter after seven when I actually can feel and hear Kasaan's presence. Her aura says that she is curious as to who I am, and maybe I am the one she's going to meet. Okay Youko. It's time to be an angel. Time to turn over a new leaf in my book and start anew. Leave your demon nature behind. The moon's reflection glistens from the ripples produced by the suspended-on-the-water dock. I have only Kasaan to lose, only Kasaan to gain. It's too late to back out now.

I sense her presence behind me stronger now, my ears trying to tune her in from their folded position. Her courageous and radiant spirit can be felt by anyone. But wait… now her aura gives off…fear? I turn to face her and I barely catch her midnight blue-black hair disappear behind the boathouse. Hiei was right. I do stand out, and she sees me for exactly what I am. The fearsome kitsune demon. I don't want to give her a heart attack by simply appearing before her. I quietly step off the dock and approach her hiding spot.

It is much too late.

Normal POV
Shiori had decided against moving from her position, thinking any motion would attract the demon even more. But even she couldn't help natural instinct. She had just started to inch across the wall when the demon appeared. Shiori gasped and shrank down against the wall beneath the kitsune's closed gaze, trembling in utter fear. A tiny smirk played on the corners of the demon's lips. Shiori gulped and closed her eyes.

"Please…" she breathed. "Whatever you're going to do, just do it." She waited terrified, breathing hard and face covered in cold sweat. She could feel the kitsune sit beside her in some manner, only causing her to lay her head on the back wall. Out of nowhere, she felt him take her hand in his own. Curiosity got the better of her and she opened her eyes as the kitsune kissed her hand.

"My name is Youko Kurama." Shiori slowly drew her hand out of Youko's grip. "You must be Shiori Minamino. It is a pleasure to meet you in person."

"How do you know my name?" demanded Shiori quietly.

"I know your son, Shuichii Minamino. I am the friend he wished for you to meet."

"A—a demon?" Youko helped Shiori to her feet before nodding. Again she slowly pulled away from Youko, but she had hardly any space to back away.

"A kitsune demon," corrected Youko. He was glad to see she had stopped shaking and her breath had calmed, even if it only calmed a little. She pushed her fallen bangs out of her eyes.

"Oh, gods. Shuichii is so occult, but…" She bit back from saying 'I never thought he'd go this far' and changed her words. "But you are like he said; calm, and a gentleman." Youko looked close to blushing, but held it in. Gentleman ness was what he was trying to demonstrate. "What I want to know is, can I trust you?"

"Hm…" His large sharp fangs glistened with the little light from the shadows as his face neared—in Shiori's opinion was dangerously—close to hers. But his smirk turned into a playful grin and he pulled away. "It's really not for me to decide if you can trust me. I wouldn't be a friend with Shuichii if I was 100 evil demonic nature 24/7. It should be me that is asking, can or will you trust me?"

Shuichii trusts him, I trust Shuichii… thought Shiori, gaze lingering between Youko's twitching no longer folded back ears and long flicking tail. But isn't this a little much? Youko is very…pretty, and holds himself with an elegant grace, and those are usually the most dangerous…But…I suppose it, might be all right…yes, okay. I'll trust him for now. If Youko is everything I think he will be, then this won't be too bad after all… But now where is my dear Shuichii?

"Yes. Okay, Youko. I've decided to put my trust in you for this evening. I'm hoping you'll live up to it. I'd hate to suspend Shuichii from seeing you ever again if I can't trust you." Youko nodded in complete understanding. "Fair enough?"

"Fair enough, Mrs. Minamino," said Youko, smiling. Shiori observed it discreetly before it vanished. Smiling with a feeling other than iniquity is was obviously a new concept for him…

"And call me Shiori, dear, I dislike 'Mrs. Minamino' very much." The two started walking back to the floating port, observing the water. "Now, there's just one thing. Where has my son got too? Do you think we should wait for him?"

"In my honest, honest opinion, Mrs. Minamino—"

"Shiori."

"Shiori-san," Shiori blushed and rolled her eyes as Youko grinned. "Shuichii-san already knows us both—you are his mother and I his friend—and the whole point of this lovely walk was for his friend to meet his beautiful and kind mother," said Youko, looking at her as he said 'beautiful and kind.' Shiori blushed, but nodded. "Then shall we proceed?"

"We proceed," Shiori said, walking up next to Youko's side. "May I?" she asked, laying her hand on Youko's arm.

"Oh," Youko looked surprised. She just met and now, she wished to hold his arm? "Of course." He held out his arm further so she could link her own on his. Instead of staying on the open bike path, Shiori led Youko to the normal walking path. It was mainly hidden in the moderate forest of lush green plants ("Much greener than the season normally allowed," pointed out Shiori), but every now and then it would open up to the lakeside. But even in the tree-surrounded parts, the fertile trees didn't block the moonlight from straight above them.

To pass the time they talked a little bit about themselves (Youko didn't have a lot to tell that wouldn't totally freak Shiori), but the conversation led to things about their friends, some of their more eccentric friends they knew, things their friends did, and holiday traditions. Apart from an…attempted, New Makai Year celebration with Kuronue, Youko stayed quiet that whole time. From there it went to amusing things that happened during the holidays, funny things that happened anywhere, places they'd like to visit before they died, and food from exotic lands. Exotic things got Shiori asking Youko questions about his home world and exotic things there from time to time when conversation fell.

Shiori loved to listen to Youko speak, not only was his eerily calm voice a gorgeous purring baritone-like sound, but many an interesting or dangerous experience had happened to him that Shiori would have liked to try when she was younger (obviously, Youko kept to his more Nigen-like experiences that she could relate to).

Youko liked to listen to Shiori verbalize now that he could feel her emotions more strongly. And when she'd detach her arm to make a motion with her hands to describe something she said, she would always re-link her arm when she was done. It gave Youko a sense of protection, loyalty and unwavering trust.

"I think were working on the third lap around here, right?" asked Shiori, stopping to sit on a bench in an open lakeside area, the trees behind her and lake before her. Youko sat beside her and crossed his legs watching the reflection of the water. His eyes caught a red gleam in the water, and he quickly turned around and stood up.

"Shiori-san, get away from there," he said, still calm as ever. Shiori was standing next to him in an instant, looking at the trees slightly puzzled. The red vanished by the moment Youko turned around. Shiori gasped when she saw a red pair of eyes appear in the shadows before them.

"What do we have here?" came a croaking voice that belonged to the red-eyed figure. "A demon protecting a human? A legendary kitsune demon, I might add? What happened to being the most heartless of them all?"

"I will only fight to defend those who have my trust," said Youko loudly, but still unperturbedly. Shiori had slowly started to back away. "Do not move away from me, Shiori-san." She stopped. "Shiori Minamino is a human with no context to me except the mother of one of my friends. I am here to meet her upon her son's request. If you want me, fine."

"Youko, don't!" whispered Shiori anxiously, grabbing his arm.

"I would advise you not to hurt her in anyway…" Youko continued pulling his arm from Shiori's grasp and walking straight toward the eyes. "Or else," he added in an undertone as he entered the forest, disappearing from Shiori's sight. "Her son will be after you in a hot second to hand you something worse than death."

Shiori's POV
I can't believe her just went in there I watched the red-eyes disappear first as Youko approached them, and then he too disappeared inside the forest. Why is he protecting me like this? What is that thing that is targeting him? Youko has a real disadvantage not knowing the physique about his opponent, but he looks awfully strong… and didn't that thing say something about legendary? We shall see…

It's only been a few minutes, when suddenly there's a light blue explosion from within the wood depths, and I hear a loud slice—like a blade through metal or worse—and a horrible inhuman shriek, forcing me to cover my ears. The blue light subsides and I hear a soft rustle coming near. Who was that who shrieked just now? Not Youko I pray… could it have been him? The rustling grows louder and my heart starts to pound nervously in my chest.

A soft growl ahead of me reaches my ears. From underneath the beneath the bench, a fox face appears. A silver-blue fox face, acute and angular with long whiskers and soft but jarring amethyst eyes with a tiny gold glint. As is it comes out from beneath the bench, I see its entire body is silver-blue, and it is built perfectly with strong leg muscles and a beautiful coat. It finally steps out and sits down before me when I notice…

It has six tails.

Six tails, all perfectly alike and furled out gorgeously behind him. As it watches me, I hear it give a half whine half purr. It saunters up to me and rubs my legs, and I hesitantly pet it. Realization strikes me. This is Youko. I think…

"Youko?" I ask quietly. The fox give a tiny yip and leans his head on my stomach (he is quite tall) and flicks his ear. But as I smile in relief, I hear the half whine, half purr, but this time the whine is louder. He is in pain. I sit back down on the bench and motion for him to come up as well. As he jumps up, I notice his front paw was unused in the motion. It tells me right away that is what hurts him. He was holding it up reflexively, trying to put it back down without hurting it, but I have already seen. I get him to lean across my lap, then I gently massage his injured leg, feeling the slender but firmly built leg muscles relax as I rub it. I can feel a low vibration from his neck that rests on my lap, and I can here the slightly faint purr. It's deeper than a cat's, but definitely has the same intensity.

"Is there anything else?" I ask, kissing his paw and allowing him to pull it back to his side. He sits up and gazes out at the moon. Two of his tails flow out next to me and I stroke them, taking the sitting up as a 'no'. But I got more.

'No. Thank you, Shiori.' I gasp, turning to the large fox beside me. Did he just speak to me through my mind? 'Yes. Seeing as how a fox is not gifted with a human tongue, I speak mentally.'

Well this is new… I too, lean back on the wooden bench and gaze with a solemn happiness… Shuichii made a wise decision in befriending Youko…

Youko, Shuichii told me you had a brother…named Kuronue? There is no immediate answer as I watch the foxtail's curl in a simultaneous sweep around his body and hold it there.

That is true… He wasn't exactly my brother, he was my partner… but… you could say we were like brothers… The tails unfurl and spread on my lap again.

I just wanted to say, he is very, very lucky to have a brother as caring and loving as you.

……………………… !#$$$&&()

Specter: Mwahahaha—ha coughs hack, cough, crap…
Hiei: O.O
Kurama: -.-
Specter: Okay, no more evil laugh until I get my a-s off the computer and drink some water.
Hiei: She hasn't gotten up since 9:30 a.m. It's now 3:00 p.m.
Kurama:
Hiei: Aren't you going to say something?
Kurama: Aren't you going to say something what?
Hiei: Never mind…
Specter (thinking): I sense payback…
Kurama: Then why did you say anything?
Hiei: Can't I say something anymore without someone biting my—
Kurama: Sounds familiar, ne?
Specter: Oooooooooooo, fried!
Hiei: shuth
Specter: Ow, crap! Don't hit me! What the—
Hiei: Oh sh-t……