Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho

A/N:

"Talking"

'Thoughts'

-Hiei's thoughts-

'text'

Chapter two: Truths and Confrontations

Erica walked through the public Library glancing at the selves full of books. She picked a few up and went to a table to research. Ever since she found out about 'Kurama' three months ago, she had wanted to learn more about demons. 'I really wish I could just ask Kurama, but I haven't been able to get in touch with him.' She thought as she went through the fourth book. She closed the book with a sigh. "These books are useless" she whined aloud, hanging her head.

An elderly woman sat down by her. "Dear are you alright?"

Erica looked up from her book. "Ah, yeah. Well, actually, I'm looking for a book on demons." She replied.

"Well I thought young ones didn't much care for legends and 'fairy tales'. As it happens I fancy myself a demon expert." The lady said with a small laugh.

"Really?" Erica asked in a surprised tone. 'She looks so old; I doubt she'd remember anything she learned now'. "Can you help me then; I'm trying to find out about a demon named Youko Kurama."

"Of course dear. Hm Youko Kurama, actually I have a book just about him. By the way my name is Tsukino."

"Hi, I'm Erica. May I see the book?"

"Well come on Erica dear. These books the library has are useless."

Erica looked around the elegant old house. There were posters of different demons, one she recognized as Youko Kurama.

'Someone needs a new hobby' Erica thought to herself as she followed the older woman into a study. These walls were plastered with a wide arrangement of pictures of the fox demon. There were sketches and paintings everywhere, most looking as if they were done by hand.

"You really…favor this demon, don't you?" Erica asked, gesturing to one of the many portraits before sitting down at a medium cherry wood table.

"Yes well my grandmother would tell me stories of him for hours. Plus he's quite handsome. I wouldn't mind meeting him someday." She said walking over. She handed her a leather-bound book as the doorbell sounded.

"Excuse me dear, I'll be right back." With that Tsukino left to answer the door.

Erica opened the book as Tsukino left the study. AS she was going through it, she noticed that most of the information was not new at all. However, she changed her mind when she stumbled upon a page full of plants. 'Why is this here?' she thought, curious, she began to read the caption at the bottom of the page.

'…Youko has an affinity with plants. One of his most famous or perhaps most gruesome is the death tree. This plant has many mouths and the acid produced could eat through even diamond.'

"What a lovely plant. Wish I had one. " Erica sarcastically said aloud.

"Perhaps I could arrange that. Although the Death Tree prefers demon blood." Kurama's voice in her ear said.

Erica jumped up, out of her seat "Where did you come from?" she asked "And what's with whispering in peoples ears? They can still hear you if you talk normally you know"She finished rubbing her ear.

Kurama smiled and move to stand in front of her."I realize that. As to where I came from, you should know." He said sitting down in Erica's vacated chair.

She pulled up a seat next to Kurama and sat down "Why are you here?" she asked, flipping through the leather book.

"What, an interrogation. I just came to check up on you. See how you were holding up." He said taking the book from her. He skimmed through when he started laughing.

'Holding Up?' she questioningly thought. She looked over at the book, "What are you laughing at?"

"This book. Much of it is wrong or twisted way out of proportion. And yes a human who holds a big secret they tend togo insane with the need to tell someone." He said looking up as Tsukino entered bearing a tray of goodies.

"Will you stop reading my mind please" Erica bluntly asked Kurama, "There are reasons people think some things instead of speaking them aloud."

Then stop thinking them so loudly. It's not like I want to hear anyway. Humans tend to shout their thoughts out. After a bit it hurts ones ears."

"Well, I don't know how to think quieter, or really any volume, so I guess we're both s.o.l."

Kurama smiled. "No, just you. I have Hiei. Why are you reading on some dead fox? I told you demons are not real. They're a story told to frighten children."

"Demons are real young man. And one day you will see one. I once saw Youko when I still lived on my parent's farm. He was in my barn and very badly hurt. I helped him and stayed all night with him. When I woke up the next morning he was gone. He had wrapped a blanket around me. Other than that there wasn't a trace that he had been there."

"That was you?" Kurama said getting up

'Ha! I knew he was Youko' Erica thought as she stood up also.

"Are you…? You remember? I thought you died years ago." Tsukino whispered reaching out to touch him. Kurama backed away.

"Sorry. I have to go." He said turning to leave.

"Iie…Matte…" Tsukino said as Kurama left.

"Arigato for helping me." Kurama called back softly.

Erica, who had been quietly watching the two, decided to go after Kurama. She turned to Tsukino "Thank you for your help, I must go now" she said and left through the door.

"Erica. Can you bring him back?"

"No. I can't. Gomen nasai" she finished as she ran after Kurama.

Erica found Kurama at the park sitting in a tree.

"Kurama, will you please come down." Erica said looking up at him.

"No."

"Kurama, you're not going to solve anything by sulking in a tree." She argued.

"I'm not sulking. I'm ..thinking. What do you want?" he said not looking at her.

"Just checking up on you"

"I don't need a mother." He said finally looking down.

"I'm not mothering you, I'm being a friend." She said, looking back at him.

-He has no friends. We both know the rules of trust. Don't and your safe.-

Hiei appeared next to Kurama.

'Why do people keep popping up?' Erica thought. "Who are you?"

"Hn."

"You barely know me. Or anything about me." Kurama said jumping down to face Erica. "Why would you want to be my 'friend'?"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a killer and a thief?"

"So? You're not anymore are you? A person's past doesn't really matter to me. " Erica said as Hiei joined them on the ground.

"She's a human and can't be trusted." Hiei said ruining the moment.

"What if I chose to trust her?" Kurama asked

"Your human heart will kill you" Hiei said before running off.

"So, does this mean I'm your friend now?" Erica asked after watching Hiei go out of sight.

"No. It means you have my confidence. I have never had any friends and I'm not likely to start now."

Feeling her heart sink, Erica turned to go home. "I see" she said, "Well, I must go now, see later. Ja." She gave a small wave and started walking home.

A voice carried softly on the breeze, "Ja Ne, Erica-chan."

SMK: wow very sorry for the shortness but it was a perfect place to stop.

Scooperchan: Forget the shortness, look at all the fluff! It looks like we killed a giant stuffed panda bear. Oh! And sorry for the "oh pickles" line form the last chapter. That was supposed to be edited, but we forgot.

SMK: Also thanks to the readers who reviewed. Sorry we can't read them yet. We are having technical difficulties. Review please!

Scooperchan: by the way, s.o.l. means sht out of luck, and what SMK said, Reveiw!