A shadow crept across the grounds, barely visible against the darkness of the night and trees. Years of practice showed with every silent step. Dressed completely in loose yet secure night dark clothing, the figure blended in almost perfectly, except for the glint of silver eyes behind the black cloth mask.
Kit smiled to herself. Her hair was pulled back, and her ears flattened. She'd even dipped her tail in black washable dye to avoid any hint of silver being noticed. That would be far too incriminating. She glanced at the woods around her. Seemed to be normal enough. But surrounded by plant life always made her uneasy on a job, though she knew quite well that he certainly wasn't hanging out here. Though there could be others with the same powers, she doubted it, and most of all-
/Focus! You need to focus! There is no traps here using plants and you know it! So forget about it and FOCUS/
Sometimes the mental pep talks were insanely useful. Especially when she caught her mind wandering like that. As she walked by a vine, she didn't notice it turn to watch her with tiny flower like eyes. Or were they eye-like flowers? She'd already convinced herself they weren't there.
Hiei chuckled to himself from the rooftop a couple acres from the creeping figure.
"She just walked right past your plants, Kurama. The ones that are supposed to trigger the traps..."
Kuwabara, who was still shocked each time they referred to her as a girl, stared in awe. Yusuke rolls his eyes and whacks Kuwabara upside the head to make him quit drooling with his mouth wide open. "Close it, or something might land in it."
Kuwabara shuts his mouth instantly.
Kurama was silent and watching the woods. He knew what Hiei had told him before he had said it. The plants in the forest were telling him everything, even the ones that he hadn't planted. Though he wasn't sure quite why, he was anxious to see her.
(--Youko's thoughts--) (-Kura's thoughts-)
-- It sounds like her style…I'm wondering if I should have just let you guys stake out 'Michio's' - -
-Why do you always say that as if it's a joke? –
--Because it is. Michio is actually a thief who has accumulated great wealth and settled down. He has a pact with the other thieves. He plays scapegoat for them when they rob other places, and fakes being robbed, as long as they don't steal from him. - -
-So why didn't you let us? –
--Because I'm curious…--
- You're not going to be able to do anything with her you know…she's going right to a cell… -
- - Not that kind of curious…and they call me a pervert…I want to see if I know this person! --
- Sure…-
-- Why is it no one believes me when I'm telling the truth? –
- Because your you…-
--I'm also you, and they seem to trust you just fine…--
Kurama would have cut the mind link if he could, but that wasn't possible.
And Youko had just started his rant…and that could go on for hours…
Hiei saw a strange set of expressions cover the fox's face but decided it was probably just Youko talking about something and now Kurama was tired of listening but couldn't stop.
(--- Hiei's thoughts…those that are projected anyway ---)
---Youko, you're boring him to death…---
--And I don't see why- Hi, Hiei…--
---Hn. You're boring him to death…--
-- Boring who? Oh…Shuuichi? Nah…he's just- really bored…okay but that's my right being locked inside most of the time… --
Hiei leaves. It was pointless.
"Kurama, just tune him out. He's gonna go on like that forever…"
"I know…" Kurama says groaning.
Kuwabara looks around confused and it takes Yusuke about three seconds longer than it took Hiei to realize what's going on.
"What's he ranting about this time?"
Kurama stops for a moment to listen and rolls his eyes. "He's still going on about how I should let him take over more often…"
Yusuke chuckles. "I think that would drive the females in the complex crazy."
Kuwabara still hadn't caught on yet.
Kit stopped as she saw a vine. It was in the perfect position to be a trap. Rolling her eyes she walks around it and moves on.
"Amateurs…"
Her instincts called her to a halt again. This time the trap wasn't as obvious but still visibly there. The net was cleverly disguised as canopy. She goes around it and moves on. A few minutes had past without a trap when suddenly she had this feeling to move to the left. She obeys and what looks like a Giant Venus Fly trap snaps over the place she had just been. On closer inspection, it was just a Venus Trap Plant. Made to capture but not eat. A lot of careful breeding had been put into that one.
She could see that the trees were thinning out. That was good. But she did expect a final trap.
Sure enough.
The trees closed up behind her, and the ones in front of her got quite close together. Kit pulled out a whip from her side and lashed it around a branch, using it to flip her self up. She navigates over the tree branches and climbs up, pulling herself up with the whip if she couldn't do it her self. Soon she'd cleared he barricade and had reached the edge of the forest. She jumps down and lands on the grass, carefully and gracefully.
Kurama was staring absently at the forest and only half listening to Youko's current rant topic which was how anti-social Kurama was getting.
--Honestly. The girls love you! The guys all want to be you! And you spend your time with Dork and Brain-dead moron over there! Now does that make any sense? NO! And- "--
Kurama was officially not listening now. Something was moving in the trees.
-- Whoa! Don't stand up so fast! It's not- HOLY HELLO! HOW'D SHE MAKE IT OUT? --
"Guys…look…" Kurama said quietly. The others stand up.
"What is it Kurama? Did she light the forest on fi- HOLY CHEESE ON RYE! HOW'D SHE GET OUT OF THERE?"
"I don't know…but I think we'd better hide…"
Kuwabara stared at the forest. "I don't see anything…"
Hiei rolled his eyes and started toward the other rooftop. The one with the staircase. "I'll be inside…You two stay out here with the dunce…"
Yusuke stops him. "No, Hiei. Stay out here, In case Shadow Vixen gets away. Your spirit energy will give you away, but mine won't…"
Hiei simply stares for a moment then shrugs and turns back to take a seat, out of view. "Whatever you say…"
He closes his eyes and looks like he was asleep.
Kurama however, continues looking out at the forest. The creeping figure was closer now, though still only a black blur. No spirit energy was sensible.
"Dang…she's good…"
Kit hated open spaces. Far too exposed. She was fairly sure no one was there, but then again…she wasn't always right…
She thought she saw something moving, but maybe she was hallucinating…Was she really that nervous?
/ What do I have to be nervous about/
She couldn't think of an answer. She shrugs and keeps creeping. No need to be jumpy. No one knew she was coming…it wasn't possible. She ignored nagging doubts at the back of her head, and was surprised to find herself at the door. Kit looks up and thought she saw a flash, but nothing was there.
/Why am I so jittery/
Kurama ducked as he saw her look up. Why hadn't he ducked earlier? Youko chuckled inside his head.
-- Ah…Are you getting staring tendencies? –
- No! I was just watching her…-
-- Uh huh…--
Kurama gives up arguing with the spirit fox. It was pointless…
"Hiei…wake up…She's- Where's Kuwabara?"
"The baka is unconscious…."
"Wonderful…we'll need to stay out here because right about now, she's probably inside…" His fox senses picked up a sound of the door click shut.
-- She didn't lock it…shows experience…--
-Why's that? -
--Unlocked doors make for an easier getaway…among other advantages--
Kurama turned to the others. Well, other…Kuwabara didn't count…
"She's in….and she left the door open, which means she's relatively sure she'll be out soon. We're going to wait out here in case she does get out."
---Which is likely…---
- Be nice Hiei…-
---I don't do nice…---
- Or so you say…-
Ah...I don't own the characters, or anything like that...except for Kitsune Nakira...Sorry this one took forever...I had the hardest time typing this up...
Your friendly neighborhood Writer/Thief, Neko
Youko- Yeah Right...
SHUT IT!