Next chapter everyone! It's shorter than the last one, but you didn't really expect me to keep up that length, did you?

Happy reading everyone!

(imaginary disclaimer…sorta)

It was the last thing Yubaba expected to see.

Sitting in her comfortable chair behind her table was Bou, giggling and laughing at the stories told by the boy who sat in his huge lap comfortably. The boy was a little on the skinny side, looking to be around ten, his bright shock of purple hair messed up like a haystack and his matching purple eyes filled with mischief.

Yubaba forced her voice to politeness. "Youkai Tsukioukami."

He grinned at her amiably, saying, "Don't interrupt the story. And it's just Oukami."

Yubaba forced a smile and said, "Bou, be a good baby and play with your toys in your room."

"But Mama," he whined, "he's telling a good story!"

"I'll tell you a better one later, sweetie," she said soothingly. She really didn't want Bou to cry just yet.

Bou sulked but obediently left the room.

Oukami resettled himself in Yubaba's chair, putting his dirty feet up on the table. "You called?" he asked, taking no effort to hide his boredom. He fingered the sacks of gold she kept on her desk.

Yubaba tried her best not to glare as she pulled up another chair.

"Yes. I want you to do me a favour."

"No favours accepted," he dismissed.

"Fine then," she snapped, unable to control herself. "I want to make a deal with you."

Oukami studied his dirty fingernails. "What kind of deal?"

She took a deep breath, then said, "I want you to bring someone to me."

"Can't your lousy apprentice even take care of that?"

"Well," she lowered her voice, "he may prove to be more disagreeable than most when it comes to forced cooperation."

"Lots of us do," Oukami observed dryly, not making an effort to speak quietly. "Why didn't you get one of those usual…kidnapper-type people though?"

"For several reasons, but… I know we haven't been on the best of terms in the past, so look at this agreement as something to make up for it."

Oukami laughed suddenly. "You don't know what you're talking about."

She didn't join in the laughter.

"All right," he said, suddenly all business-like, "I bring this person to you. What's the payment?"

"Gold. And a contract that says we won't bother each other again."

He fiddled with his nails, deep in thought. Yubaba reflected on how mature Oukami sounded compared to his chosen age. It could really be misleading.

"How about…twenty thousand?"

"Twenty thousand!" Her eyes widened to the size of lamps and she smashed her large fist on the table. What was she playing at? This boy destroyed her quarters at the top of the bathhouse almost a century ago, and now she was making a deal with him?

She forced the flames in her mouth to subside before she said, "I can't afford that. Three thousand."

"I thought you said this someone was hard to catch." His purple eyes glittered malevolently, and suddenly the mischievous aura around him vanished. Now Yubaba could clearly see the demon he was reputed to be.

They continued haggling, and all the while Oukami was ruthlessly in control of the price, slowly pushing it higher and higher. Yubaba was at loss of what to do to counter his expert negotiations.

Finally – to her dismay – they ended on a payment of twenty-three thousand in advance. She didn't know how he did it, but he did. Grumbling, she handed over the money, and then they signed the contract to not bother each other anymore once Oukami had finished doing her bidding.

"So who's the someone you want?" By now Oukami was back to his prankster self.

"His name's Nigihayami Kohaku Nushi. He's quite a powerful river spirit, considering he's got no place to tap his power from."

A flash of recognition crossed his childlike features. "Oh, you mean the boy Haku? What were you thinking of when you told him to come and attack me?"

She shrugged. "He failed, so I punished him. So what?"

Exasperated, he said, "Well, of course he failed. Do you think I'd let him touch me for a second?"

Yubaba shrugged it aside and went on to give Oukami a detailed description of Haku. To finish off, she said threateningly, "And make sure you don't hurt him in any way. If I see the tiniest scratch on him, I'll turn you into coal."

He rolled his eyes. "Saying that I don't find Haku, I obviously won't come back to tell you, because that way I get to blow up your bathhouse more often." He chuckled wickedly. "And if I do come back, it'll be you turned into coal, not me."

He was probably right, but Yubaba refused to acknowledge that.

"Get going," she said shortly.

He nodded and said, "Say 'hi' to Bou for me."

Oukami walked over to the window and climbed onto the sill. Then he turned to Yubaba and said reflectively, "You're meaner than me in many ways, you old witch."

Yubaba just cackled. Then Oukami took a lively side-step towards the edge and suddenly fell out the window.

Yubaba's laughter died in her throat as she ran over and looked down, worried that all her money had gone to waste. But then she saw a silver spot streaking for the sky, and she breathed a half-hearted sigh of relief.

She muttered to herself, "Stupid demon showing off. And he outwitted me again."

From behind, she could hear Bou's ponderous footsteps, and then his questioning voice, "Mama?"

She consoled her temper with the pleasing thought that soon Haku would be back under her grip; and the certainty that one day she'll successfully swindle Oukami, somehow.

"Yes, sweetie," she said, smiling, "I'll tell you a story now."

It would be only later that she'd find a box holding six heavy sacks of gold gone.

Please review everyone! You know how much reviews mean to everybody. That includes me.

Oh, tell me what you thought about Oukami. He hasn't got potential to be a scene-stealer, has he?

Reposted 22/11/05 to remove review responses