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Chapter 2
Okay, I forgot to put the info for Note one in chapter one so here it is-Chama- Sama+chan a mild, silly, and slightly respectful term.
I would also like to think KyoHana for reviewing, and so I dedicate this chapter to you b
Now without further ado, the story
"Hello everyone, Yanagi (note2) here," Botan said in a mock cheerful voice trying her best to smile sweetly, though all she wanted to do was cry. "I'm here to welcome y'all to the first ever showing of Kurio Bara in all of Western Makai, so without further ado let the show begin." Botan waved and walked off the stage, leaving it empty for several minutes.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"Shuuichi-kun, what's wrong? Come on, we were supposed to be out there five minutes ago," Ayumi whined looking at her singing companion pleadingly. He glanced up with eyes filled with emotion unaccustomed to them, especially since he had left Ningenkai, and his best friends. "What's wrong?"
"That girl, Yanagi, do you know about her?" Kurama asked, never had he thought to see his former friend working in a place like this.
"Yeah, she's one of the inn's harlots, but she doesn't seem all that willing, you can see it in her eyes, and if you look closely enough, you can see restraining rings on her wrists and ankles, poor girl," Ayumi muttered sadly. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason, now come we can't keep them waiting much longer." Kurama stood abruptly devoid of all emotion, leaving a confused Ayumi behind.
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Yuusuke and Hiei stared at the stage in shock, five minutes had passed since Botan had left the stage, but still they stared. Why on earth had she been there? Both wanted to know the answer to that question, and several others like; what where those yoki rings around her ankles and wrists? Why was she dressed in such revealing clothing? And had she noticed them there?
Their ponderings were cut short as two figures stepped on stage both holding mikes, and both wearing black and red clothing, the redhead wearing black leather pants and a red tank top, and the carrot top wearing a black leather skirt, black boots, and a form fitting, long-sleeved red shirt. The site of Kurama wiped all thoughts of Botan from Yuusuke and Hiei's minds, and both couldn't help but gape. His once silky red hair was now streaked with silver, and a pair of fox ears peaked up through the twisted main of sterling and poppy; a long elegant silver tail twitched with a life of it's own from behind the tall man.
The fox features threw the two boys off since last time they checked Kurama hadn't been able to switch to his kitsune form, but now every inch of the elegant man screamed Youko, and all that was left of the Kurama they knew were the poppy red strands of hair, and brilliant emerald green eyes.
"Well, he sure has changed, and his voice, I never knew could sing," Yuusuke muttered as the duet began their dark melodic ballad.
"There's a lot you don't know about the Fox, hell there's a lot I don't about him," Hiei replied with a smirk.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXAs Ayumi and Kurama sang the latter swept over the crowd with his emerald eyes trying to see if he could find Botan once again. Never had he thought that the former Ferry Girl would be forced to work at an inn such as this and in such a position as she was in: a harlot, of all the things! But what he found in the crowd caused him to break the flow of his enchanting voice in a stammer, though only slightly.
What the hell are they doing here? And… are they… matching? Kurama thought to himself as he continued to stare at the spot where two of his former companion stood. The taller of two looked up at him and smirked before walking deeper into the crowd.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"Shuuichi-kun, what was up with you tonight?" Ayumi asked as they left the stage twenty minutes later.
"Hmm?" Kurama muttered absently.
"I asked what was wrong, first when that girl Yanagi was on stage you went completely blank, and then when we were singing, you stuttered, you never stutter!" Ayumi exclaimed dramatically.
"I'm fine, it's just an off night," Kurama replied waving his hand to dismiss it. In truth Kurama was not fine, he had just seen three of his former friends in a Makai inn, the last place he had expected to see any of them, and they seemed to have changed so much. "Do you know where that girl Yanagi would be right now?" Kurama asked suddenly snapping from his train of thought.
"No, that's a question for the owner," Ayumi muttered exasperated. "Why are you so interested in her anyways?"
"She looks really familiar."
"Hmm, a former lover perhaps?" Ayumi asked slyly. Kurama looked at the girl sharply.
"No, more like an old friend."
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Yanagi, or Botan, left the stage, immediately dropping the smile she had had earlier and replaced it with an indifferent frown.
"Nice work, Yanagi, absolutely splendid, and you even smiled, not something I'm used to," A squat grey skinned man leered at the blue-haired beauty.
"Hn," she snorted then smirked inwardly, she was beginning to sound like Hiei.
"Oh come now, that attitude of yours is scaring away my customers, can't you be a little more open?" Botan glared at the nasty little man and stalked off not even bothering to watch the show. (Note3)
"Yanagi! Yanagi, get back here! You have customers! And in case you've forgotten, you're under my control."
"I haven't forgotten, Yoshimitsu," Botan hissed her pale hands clenched tightly at her side.
"It's Yoshimitsu-sama, you better start showing me some respect 'cause I can make your life a living hell," Yoshimitsu growled back.
"I highly doubt you could make it any worse Yoshimitsu," Botan said, making sure to be as disrespectful as possible, before stalking off.
"Yanagi! The customers!" but it was too late, because Botan was already long gone. "Damn her, she going to regret that."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"So are we going to pay the Fox a visit or just waltz on outta here?" Yuusuke asked as the live music was once again replaced with an obnoxious youkai version of rap.
"We wouldn't surprise him though, he knows we're here," Hiei pointed out, he hadn't missed the slight stutter in Kurama's melody when Yuusuke had caught his gaze.
"No, I think we'd surprise him, even if he did know we where here, but first I'm going to try and find the owner of this place."
"Why, you're not thinking of staying here, are you?" Hiei asked giving his friend a look that clearly stated or enlisting the company of one of the inn's whores. Yuusuke only smirked before disappearing into the throng of demons; Hiei rolled his eyes before stalking off after his companion.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"Miss, Miss!" Yuusuke called irritably as he attempted to get the attention of a young neko-youkai waitress.
"Yes, may I help you?" She asked sweetly turning around to face the still slightly irked Yuusuke.
"Yeah, is your boss 'round?" Yuusuke asked, the girl looked at him quizzically, and he sighed growing more and more irritated by the moment. He repeated the question, this time making sure to use Western Makai dialect.
"Oh, sorry, he's around here- oh, look there he is. Yoshimitsu-sama!" The girl called waving one of her arms about to catch a squat man's attention.
"What is it Keona (note4)," Yoshimitsu asked gruffly, his face was slightly red, and he looked quite ticked.
"This man asked for your assistance," Keona said with a bow, she then quickly strode off.
"Can I help you sir?" The grey-eyed, grey-skinned man asked Yuusuke warily.
"As a matter of fact you can, I wanted to ask you about the young girl Yanagi. You see, I'm an awfully lonely man, and I'm in need of some comfort, if you know what I mean," Yuusuke looked at the man expectantly a mischievous glint in his eye; Yoshimitsu nodded greedily.
"I do sir, but why Yanagi, we've got plenty of other, more satisfying, girls here."
"I've got my reasons," Yuusuke replied slyly.
Yoshimitsu smirked; This boy seems like someone vicious, maybe he can put that bitch in her place, he thought to himself smirking inwardly. "A man with a plan, eh?Well let me show you to your room, and I'll have Yanagi sent up there shortly." Once Yoshimitsuhad turned his back on Yuusuke, said assassin looked over his shoulder and winked at the little fire youkai behind him, Hiei rolled his eyes again and using his Jagan he told Yuusuke that he was going to look for the Fox; Yuusuke nodded before rushing off after the inn owner.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"Here's your room sir, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get Yanagi, be back shortly," Yoshimitsu said closing the rough wooden door behind him. Yuusuke's grin immediately dropped as he looked around the room in great disgust.
Although the room perfectly clean, it gave off a horribly disgusting aura, but one shouldn't expect much from a whorehouse. It was hard to see the whole room sense the only source of light was a dull light bulb centered above the king-sized bed placed in the middle of the left hand wall, the couch on the right hand side was in almost complete shadow. Slowly a sly smirk tugged at Yuusuke's lips as he thought of an idea.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX"Let me go!" Botan snarled trying to twist her wrist free of Yoshimitsu's firm grip to no avail.
"And why should I do that? I give the customer what he wants, and he wants you," the little man replied smugly coming to a halt outside a now occupied room.
"I don't care! Let me go!" Botan struggled with renowned vigor, but still couldn't break free of the man's grasp. He only chuckled as he opened the door and shoved Botan inside.
"Sir, as you requested, I have brought Yanagi, now have fun you two." Yoshimitsu gave the shadow in the corner a sleazy smile before slamming the door behind him. Botan whipped around and glared at where her boss had just been, a stream of obscenities, never thought to have been in the Ferry Girl's vocabulary, spilled from her mouth, and she refused to give her customer an acknowledgement.
"Never thought I'd hear those words from your mouth, girl, but I guess times have changed," the shadowy figure said in a deep, and amused voice. Yanagi whipped around towards the figure and glared.
"And what do you know about me?" She demanded angrily.
"A lot more than you would think, Botan," the figure replied in the same deep voice, but something behind it started to sound familiar.
"How do you know my name?" she asked a little anger slipping from her voice, only to be replaced be suspicion.
"My, my how soon we forget past friends." No longer was the voice deep, but clear, youthful, and extremely familiar. Botan's mind reeled as she recognized the voice, but she allowed no hope to flourish in her long since turned suspicious mind. The figure stepped from the shadows and into Botan's line of view, and she almost fainted at the familiar boy in front of her.
"Yuusuke!"
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Author's notes-
Note two- Yanagi- Willow
Note three- Botan is unaware that Kurama is a famous singer, and was still wondering what had happened to him after he had disappeared.
Note four- Keona (Hawaiian) – God's gracious gift (and I still don't know why I named a demon that)
Well I hope you enjoyed that installment and until next time
Catie-brie