Silver Thread

By: Aisu Dragoness

Author's notes: OHOHOHO! Could it be? YES! It's another chappie! Everybody celebrate:does a lil' dance:

Disclaimer: yea, you guys know I don't own anything but Masanori (from earlier chappies), if ya'll want to use him (which I doubt) ya have to ask me! Or else I'll hunt you down and make you exceedingly sorry!

Warning: this is shounen ai. You've been warned. (that's why it's called a warning….)

Chapter 9

Yukina hummed softly, bending over the small tub, gently scrubbing the silky fur clean. Wearing a clean, white apron around her usual blue kimono, and her sleeves rolled up, her slender hands lathered the soap bubbles, giggling when she heard a small yip in response when her fingers tickled the kit's sensitive belly.

A small splash was heard, as the kitsune's twitching nose and silver muzzle popped into view, shaking its head vigorously in attempt to get the maddening soap bubbles from his small tapered face. Kura-chan's (a new nickname given to him by Botan, who just couldn't resist) dripping ears flicked in Yukina's direction as he heard the ice maiden giggle at his antics.

"Looks like you're enjoying yourself." An elderly voice said dryly. Startled, Yukina looked up, not too quickly as to frighten Kura-chan (who was still getting use to the temple), as her ruby eyes lit up in recognition.

"Genkai!" The short, old woman smiled wryly, stepping out of the shadows of the hallway, and into the bright light of the bathroom where Yukina sat on the brown wooden floor.

Yusuke's mentor walked over, as the wooden floor creaked under her, peering over the tub, into the soapy water where the kit gave her an inquiring look. Suddenly, the kit's drenched silver tail began to wag back and forth as he recognized the woman, jumping on his hind paws, resting his front ones on the edge of the tub, to get closer to her, while splashing water onto Yukina's already soaked apron in the process. The ice demoness quickly grasped Kurama's front paws, in case his hind ones slip on the slick floor of the bathtub.

"Now, now, Kura-chan, you know better. You shouldn't stand like that in the bathtub, you might fall and hurt yourself." Yukina chastised, as she gently lifted the kit's paws and placed them back on the floor of the tub. Genkai smiled at the scene, her eyes still following the disappointed chibi, as Yukina gently rinsed his fur with warm water.

"Hmph. It would seem that Kurama has adjusted well here. Good, I was tired of him scampering off into a corner, and spending hours cajoling him to come out every time either of us came into the room." The comment evoked a small laugh from the young demon, as she spoke without looking up from her task.

"Yes, it does. Of course, it did take awhile, every time I tried to get close, poor Kura-chan would dash off to Hiei, refusing to go anywhere else. It took almost two weeks for him to finally trust us." Her eyes softened, "But even then, Hiei-niisan didn't leave for the Makai until he was absolutely sure Kura-chan was comfortable." The ice demoness gently reached down and scooped up the now clean baby fox out of the water and into her arms, who squirmed playfully in her grasp, his tail thumping back and forth.

Genkai smiled and turned away, trusting Yukina to care for the kit, as she entered a large empty room, with a high ceiling and sturdy walls where she liked to train and meditate. Walking steadily to a small beige cushion on the polished floor, next to a steaming cup of tea, she sat down, and brought the cup to her lips. It was times as this, when the tea mug warmed her wrinkled hands, inhaling the sweet steam, and drinking in the peace and quiet, she felt the most relaxed and content (it's what having an obnoxious and noisy student like Yusuke does to you), but even the calm of her meditation couldn't brush away her worries that kept tugging at the mentor's mind.

Although things had become quite interesting since Kurama arrived, she couldn't help thinking just how long he was going to be that way, stuck in that chibi kitsune form. Koenma had already set to work, trying to track down a cure for the half-youko, searching endlessly down to the very last file in the extensive library at the Reikai, but so far, no luck. Despite the young ruler's hasty reassurances, Genkai wasn't fooled for a moment. She knew that deep down, even Koenma couldn't begin to guess, just how long Kurama will stay this way, if not forever. So far, the Reikai Tantei had managed to hide Kurama's change from any outsiders, making up excuse after excuse, each more ridiculous and twisted than the last, as Yusuke in particular, tried to explain to the redhead's teachers, friends, and anxious mother of his lengthy disappearance. Unfortunately, with no trace whatsoever of a cure, everyone knew they couldn't keep up this charade for long. If a trail wasn't found, at this rate, someone will find out, and then the consequences could be disastrous, just thinking about it made the former world renown fighter cringe.

The worst of it was, that all they could really do right now was wait. Wait and hope that an answer to their prayers will come.

oooooooooooooooooooo

A figure shifted in the shadows, sitting on stone ground, with a flickering fire in front of him, but it's light didn't reach his face.

"Are you sure?"

The demon kneeling in front of the figure hastily nodded, eager to please the master. The filthy lower class demon's rushed answer angered the figure as he snarled,

"You better be sure, you have no idea of the terrible things I could do to you right now if I find that you're wrong." The flames luminosity flickered, illuminating the figure for a small moment, revealing his face. A pale thin face, draped with a sheet of glistening jet black hair, and a small jagged scar lined over his left eye, where it was sealed shut. His right eye was milky white, with no pupil or iris in sight, an eye of a blind man, but when a person became the focus of attention to that pallid eye, it felt as if it was seeing right through you, down to the very depths of your soul. The demon immediately paled feeling the piercing gaze of the eye upon him, shaking his head with fear clearly written on his face,

"O-of course. I'm sure of it, master."

"…Interesting…" There was a pause as the fire crackled, and then a soft chuckle sounded from the shadowy figure, echoing across the cave, his unseeing eye glinting in the pitch black curtain of darkness.

"Oh Masanori, my foolish, foolish little brother. So…It looks like you got yourself killed this time, slaughtered and defeated by a fire demon and Koenma's pitiful ningens no less. Hmph…it's really no surprise, that little fool was always so wrapped up with his useless furs, and worshiping those pathetic Four Saint Beasts, hanging on their every whim. Ha. Serves him right. He was an obsessed imbecile, not worthy to be called a real demon. He was bound to get himself killed one way or another, even if by mere mortals. But it's of no important matter now, for it seems that that very blundering fool seems to have stumbled upon something actually worth while. Hm…a youko, a pure silver youko... Now there's a sight I would've liked to see…yes…things are becoming very interesting indeed…"

Still on bended knee,the youkaishuddered as his master's cold laugh shivered across their dark stone surroundings.

"Hai…Seishiro-sama."

Aisu Dragoness: ohohohoho! Lookie here! It's a cliff hanger! OHOHOHOHO! Gomen ne, minna-san, I just couldn't help myself! Review, and perhaps I will spare you the agony of waiting another week to see what happens, ne?