Chapter 2: The Encounter…

Yumi sat her tray down and looked over at the group of girls flocking around another table. "Hey guys…did I miss something?" She asked, taking her seat at the lunch table beside Odd and across from Ulrich and Jeremy.

"Not unless you are into teenage crushes." Jeremy said.

"Now kids, leave him alone and let the man eat for god sakes." Jim "Jimbo" Morales, the school's gym teacher said, shooing the girls away from Mr. Minamino.

"Thank you Mr. Morales." They heard in return.

"Well I use to have girls flock all over me at your age. So I know how you feel." Jimbo said with pride in his voice.

"I'm sure you do." The red head said.

"Oh, I've met him. He's substituting for Ms. Hertz, right?" Yumi said, digging into her food.

"Don't tell me you're all goofy over him too." Odd said.

"Not really, he's nice and cute, but I have different taste and besides, he is way too old for me, but then again." Yumi said, still watching the scene.

"How do you know he's nice?" Ulrich asked with a little bit of jealousy in his voice.

"My French teacher invited him in to talk to the class because he's apparently fluent in many languages." She answered.

"Well he also has a master's in Biology. I'd say that man has more talents than we know." Jeremy said, looking at the red head.

"What makes you say that, Einstein?" Ulrich asked.

"I don't really know." Jeremy mumbled.

a)a)a)a)

Kurama walked among the trees and foliage on the outskirts of the school grounds.

'Ah…to get away for once.' He thought. Not all schools he substituted for had this kind of getaway. He reminded himself again that this was a private/boarding school. That's what made it so different from the others. The 'others' being public schools and more times than not, sitting right smack dab in the middle of a city. No where to escape, except maybe the greenhouse, if the school had one that is.

He was glad he took Principal Delmas up on his offer to stay at the school, instead of commuting from a hotel. This allowed him time to explore the school inside and out.

Not ready to do an inside tour yet, he found himself walking, ending up in a batch of trees not far from the school. Finding a large based tree, he sat down and immediately relaxed, feeling the aura move around him. Before long he started playing with a piece of grass, using his spirit energy to make it grow. He didn't get to use his powers much anymore, he hadn't been a tantei in a long time, but he still liked to make sure his powers were honed and practiced every chance he got.

His keen hearing picked up talking and wondering who on earth, especially children, would be out this time of evening, got him up to find out. Being the curious fox he's always been, he made his way to a large tree that could conceal him and watched.

'They are in one of my classes.' He thought, recognizing the three boys. The blonde haired one was Jeremy. The dark brown haired was Ulrich and the blonde spiked, with the purple spot on the front, was Odd. The black haired girl took him a moment before he remembered her from the French class he had been asked to speak to. Yumi was her name.

He didn't know what made him listen to the conversation, but he'd always been told by his friends that he was a curious fox. To him it came naturally because of his past life in thievery. This habit didn't go without its fair share of getting him into trouble though.

"Okay Jeremy…what's up?" Odd asked the blonde haired.

"I haven't heard from Aelita and I'm starting to get worried." He stated.

"She just left this morning. She probably hasn't had a chance to check in yet." Yumi said.

"And she did say it would take a day or two." Ulrich added.

"I know that, but she said she would check in this evening and she hasn't." Jeremy said.

"Relax…she's probably trying to hurry up so she can get back quicker and checking in would waste time." Ulrich tried to reason.

"Do you think XANA will try anything while she's there?" Yumi asked.

"I have the alerts up. If she's not back by tomorrow after classes, we're going in." Jeremy said.

"You got it." Odd said slapping the blonde on the shoulder.

"I need to get back. See-ya tomorrow and Jeremy don't worry yet, Aelita can take care of herself." Yumi said before turning and walking away.

The group split and two of the boys went back to the school. Kurama didn't notice the other two as the one caught up to the other and talked for a few minutes.

'Aelita….where have I heard that name.' Kurama thought as he headed back to the guest house, outback of the school grounds. 'Oh that is right. She is in the class with the others. She was absent and her cousin Odd said that she had to go home for a family emergency.'

He made it back and got ready for bed, but ended up thinking all night about whom this XANA person could be and he thought about keeping an eye on those four, it might turn out to be fun. Curiosity killed the cat, not the fox, as of yet.

a)a)a)a)

The next morning, students filed into class to find Kurama already there writing on the board. Very few noticed the now flourishing plant sitting on the edge of the desk.

Kurama turned from the board to address the class. "Well class, shall we pick up where we left off yesterday?" He said, picking up the lesson plan and flipping papers.

During class, Kurama watched the three boys that had got his attention the night before and noticed Jeremy looked liked he hadn't sleep. Ulrich looked indifferent and Odd looked, well the only way he could explain it was, 'anxiety.' He could guess they hadn't heard from their friend, for she was again absent.

After class Kurama stopped Odd before he left and asked. "Odd I was wondering if you had heard from your cousin and when she might be back."

"Oh sir...um haven't heard from her, but she could be busy…you know, her mom wasn't doing so well." Odd said, standing there and scratching his head nervously.

"I am sorry to hear that…please let me know if there is anything I can do." Kurama said.

a)a)a)a)

Kurama made it through the rest of the day and headed to the spot in the woods where he had seen the four the night before. He wanted to get there early enough so he could follow them if need be.

He was standing behind the same tree as before, waiting and sure enough the four appeared and started talking.

"I take it no word?" Yumi asked.

"No." Jeremy said with a shake of his head. "Let's get to the factory."

"Do you think it's wise to send all of us, XANA might think something's up if we all show up." Ulrich said.

"You have a point." Jeremy said. "But I don't want one of you to go alone. I shouldn't have let Aelita talk me into going alone and now she may be in trouble. You three can argue it out on which two get to go. Let's go."

"Do you hear that?" Odd said, closing his eyes and listening.

"No...what?" Ulrich said and they all turned to watch Odd as he tried to hear.

With Kurama's keen hearing, he was hearing something as well. 'Snakes' of various sizes started crawling out of the bushes, surrounding the group.

"Oh no." Yumi said turning her back to the group as they immediately formed a circle with their backs to each other.

"Do you think it's XANA?" Odd asked, keeping an eye on the more than a dozen or so snakes as they made to surround them.

"Has to be, snakes don't attack like this." Jeremy said. He was more in the center of the three.

Kurama couldn't sit back and watch this, he had to help. He slowly walked up, making sure not to attract the snake's attention to much.

"Looks like you could use some help." He said.

"Mr. Minamino, sir, what are you doing here." Jeremy asked, though deep down he was glad to see someone.

"I came out for an evening walk and you?"

"Uh…same thing sir." Odd said.

"I see."

"Watch it sir." Yumi said.

"For some reason I do not think they are after me." Kurama said, noticing the snakes hadn't even given him the barest of notice.

The snakes all hissed at once and began rising, while moving in on the group, making the group start to yell and cover their faces. "Rose Whip." They opened their eyes to see the snakes gone, not even a trace of them could be seen.

However, they looked down to see Kurama convulsing and writhing on the ground in agony like he was being zapped with a stun gun, while a black fog faded in and around him.

"XANA'S going to control Mr. Minamino." Yumi said her voice on the edge of panic.

"What do you want to do...?" Odd said. "I know…I'll stay while you make it to the factory." He decided.

After a moment, Kurama sat up and shook his head, trying to clear it and wondering what in the world that had been about.

"Sir, are you alright?" Jeremy asked, offering a hand and wondering if this man was going to attack him.

"I think I'm alright, what happened?" Kurama asked, taking the hand and standing. He began brushing off his clothes.

Noting that he was not acting like someone possessed by XANA and wondering how he'd been able to resist, the group just stood there in confusion.

"Wow what did you do?" Odd asked with a sense of curiosity in his voice and attempting to break the awkward moment. "And what did you say?"

Kurama stood there like nothing happened, since they were not willing to share, yet, he said. "I just yelled. It must have scared them away."

"Rrrrr…igh…t." Ulrich said under his breath, not believing it.

"Are you alright…is something wrong?" Kurama asked.

"Yes and no sir…thank you for scaring the snakes away." Jeremy said.

.

"Well apparently it is not safe out here, for any of us. You better get back to your rooms". Kurama said.

"Yes sir." They all said.

Kurama watched as they made their way back to the dorms and realized Yumi must live off campus as she walked the other way.

"I don't know what happened, Kurama, but I felt like someone was trying to possess us and it wasn't demonic or spiritual." Youko voice was heard in the back of his mind.

"I agree, only with your help was I able to resist. We have never felt anything like that before, something is definitely going on and they know that something." Kurama said mentally. "And thank you." He added. Youko didn't respond, but Kurama could feel the fox perking up.

Tomorrow was Saturday and he was sure they would try to do something about their friend if she didn't get back tonight. 'Defiantly need to watch them now.' Kurama thought. Youko was perked up and eager for some excitement, 'this might just turn out to be invigorating' the fox spirit mused, for he'd not had fun in a long time.

End Chapter 2