Kurama frowned. "What?"
"Just say you found her after she blacked out. Please." Koenma replied.
Kurama sighed and nodded. "Okay." He walked past Koenma into the room Kairai was in. "Hello." he said, flashing his cutest smile. (Wow, that would be cute )
Kairai smiled back. "Hi. I just wanted to thank you for rescuing me." She tried to hide her dissapointment. He has green eyes. No way he could be the man in black... He had red eyes. But I like this guy's eyes.
"Is something wrong?" Kurama asked.
"Hm? Oh, it's nothing... I had hoped you were someone else..." He's so cute. Woah, where did that come from!
"And who is that?" Kurama asked, moving to sit in the chair next to the bed.
Kairai glanced at her hands and began to play with the edge of the sheets. "Well... it'll sound sort of stupid..."
Kurama set his chin on his hand, propping his arm up with his elbow on one knee. "Try me."
Kairai thought for a moment, watching her fingers shyly. "Well... there was this guy I fought a long time ago... He had red eyes and wore all black. I don't know why, but I've been having dreams about him lately..."
Kurama blinked, instantly knowing of whom she spoke. Hiei? "What kind of dreams?"
"Just dreams of seeing him again..."
Kurama chuckled. "Maybe you will see him again. Maybe that's what your dreams are trying to tell you."
Kairai suddenly realized she was smiling. "I hope so."
"So... your name is Kairai, right?"
"Yeah." she replied, smiling.
"I'm Kurama."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kurama."
"Ah, the pleasure is all mine."
He seems so nice. Not to mention adorable. Kairai thought to herself, Wait a second... "Woah, hold the phone! Kurama! As in... Youko Kurama!"
"Yes." Kurama replied simply, flipping his long red hair back over his shoulder.
Before Kairai could stop herself she reached out to touch his face. "But... you're different..."
Kurama blinked lazily, but otherwise didn't move. "Yes, I am." He smiled at her child's curiosity.
"I knew that hunter had injured you... so you became a human?"
"Yes. How did you know the hunter hadn't killed me?"
"I don't know. Intuition." she replied, drawing her hand back though she would very much like to touch him more. "I heard about you from lots of different resources. A youkai like you... you wouldn't be killed by some second-rate bounty hunter. I'm kind of excited I got to meet you." she said shyly, blushing a little.
"Well we might get to know each other a little more on your mission."
"WHAT! Koenma gave away my mission!"
"No. A few friends and I will be helping you, that's all."
"Wait a second... You're a tantei!"
Kurama nodded.
Kairai thought she might faint. The great Youko Kurama, famous for thievery, was a Reikai tantei. And he was helping her on her mission. This is a bit much!
"Is that okay?" Kurama asked, cutting through her thoughts like a knife.
"Well, of course! It's just..." she trailed off.
"Just what?"
"Surprising, that's all." She brought a hand up to her sweating brow and shut her eyes.
Kurama smiled and leaned over to stroke her hair, amused at her child-like appearance and actions. "I'll leave you now. You need your rest."
He stood and went out the door.
End Chapter Nine
Dignified Rage and Untapped Power
Kairai glared at nothing in particular. Damn Koenma! Giving away her mission like that...! She stood and walked to the bathroom, looking in the mirror. She blushed when she discovered she was wearing a frilly white nightgown. Damn Koenma and his sadistic sense of humor! She would get him for this. She was a big fan of pranks, and she and Koenma had traded off pulling them on each other. (Their way of showing friendship... sigh...) But this... This called for the Mother of All Practical Jokes. Ohhh, yes...
She glanced over and saw a pair of loose white pants and a loose white long-sleeve shirt. Koenma always said she looked good in white, but she preferred blue or gray. White made her feel vulnerable for some odd reason.
She quickly dressed and found a hairbrush to brush her hair. After doing so she headed out the door to Koenma's office, surprised she had any strength. Botan's white magic, no doubt... she thought vaguely.
She turned and walked down one of the many halls she had learned so well these past few years and knocked on the door to Koenma's office. She heard Koenma give a "Come in," muffled by the door.
She opened the door and walked over to slam both palms on his desk. "Why!"
Koenma blinked. "Why what?"
"Don't give me that! You know exactly what I'm talking about!" She paused to glare at him. "You gave my mission away!"
Koenma shut his eyes and sighed. "Kairai... I just asked them to help. They're not going to take on this mission without you."
"I don't need help!"
He raised an eyebrow. "Apparently you do. I'm not about to let you get hurt again."
Kairai glared at him more, then backed off, realizing the heated redness in her face. "Well I don't like it... but I'm glad you care about me." she muttered.
Koenma smiled and stood to lean over his desk. He reached over and hugged her.
Kairai blinked for a moment then let out a high-pitched squeal as she felt something slimy slip down the back of her shirt. She jumped back from Koenma, squealing and squirming as she tried to get the whatever-it-was out of her shirt. It finally fell out and she gave Koenma a Magnificent Death Glare.
He just sat back in his chair and smiled.
"Why you little..." Kairai began.
Koenma grinned and wagged a finger at her. "Nuh uh uh. Don't talk dirty to your boss." He grinned. "Or you just might lose that mission after all."
Kairai glared at him. "You're despicable."
"What's your point?" (heehee. Kat, I hope you read this)
Kairai rolled her eyes and stomped out of the office. She would find a portal and hightail it back to the Makai to get back to work, help or not. Maybe if she got out of Reikai fast enough, she could ditch those other tanteis-
It was then that, dashing all her hopes of escape, she ran square into Kurama's chest.
Luckily, he caught her before she could land on her butt. She glared and knocked his hand off her arm. She gave a dignified "Hmph," and stomped off.
Kurama blinked, then rounded the corner quickly and entered Koenma's office. "What happened?"
Koenma sighed. "I just told her about Team Urameshi helping on the mission."
"Why is she so mad?" asked Yusuke, walking in after Kurama and jumping right into the conversation.
"She's very proud. She usually does solo missions."
"So tell her to get over it and get her butt in gear." said Yusuke bluntly, leaning on a wall.
"It's not that simple. She likes this job, but she doesn't have to do it, unlike Kurama and Hiei. She's still young and can do anything if she really wants to. She's clever, too. And has vast recesses of completely untapped power. I'd rather have a youkai like that for the Underworld than against it."
Kurama nodded understandingly.
Koenma thought for a moment. "Can you two tell Kuwabara and Hiei that I want all of you to make sure she isn't hurt again?"
The two nodded and didn't question.
End Chapter Ten