Chapter 18:
-(Ningenkai)-
"That woman is d--- crazy!" Yumiko limped in through the door, followed by Genkai, who whacked her for the comment. Yusuke smirked.
"Ah, had a taste of boot camp, did you?" He was in a good mood, having just beaten Kuwabara.
"Shut up Yusuke." She gave him the finger. "I am going to go take a shower, then hunt down that kitsune and poke the living hell out of him. That… thing is evil."
"Who, me or Genkai?"
"You! You are going to be the death of me one day!" She slouched even lower. "Never mind, I'm not going to try before my shower." She snagged her box of swords before limping away.
"Aw, F---ING S---!" A loud bang was heard right before those words.
"What happened?" Kurama looked slightly worried.
"Ran into a wall," Yusuke replied. "It's alright, it's normal. She did that like, five times at my house because she forgot to turn."
"Yeah," Kuwabara added in vaguely. "She did that twice at mine too."
"…"
"Idiot," Genkai scoffed, before leaving the room.
Yumiko came back, limping more profusely than ever. "Oh yeah, where the hell do I shower?"
"The bathroom is two doors down on your left," the redhead calmly responded.
"Really?"
"No," Yusuke shot in sarcastically. "He's saying that to trick you."
"Thanks you three." She poked her head back in again. "Oh yeah, Kurama, when do you want your shirt back?"
The two punks snickered, instantly abandoning their video games to turn to the conversation.
"You gave her you shirt Kurama?"
She blushed. "Aw, d---, that's not how I meant it. I just borrowed it cause my clothes were dirty and the others I had were at Roka's apartment and I was taking a shower at Kurama's house and I had nothing to change into so-"
"It's nothing," Kurama finished, equally embarrassed. "She just needed a change of clothes."
"So… Kurama… did you have sex in the shower with her?"
"YUSUKE URAMESHI YOU PERVERTED IDIOT!" Yumiko kicked him hard in the shin. "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT!"
"I can," Kuwabara muttered.
Kurama covered his face with his hands, smothering a sigh. "Yusuke, this is why you get slapped by Keiko so often."
"TWENTY-FOUR SEVEN YOU DECIDE TO ACT IMMATURE! YOU STUPID-" whack "-STUPID-" whack "-ASS!" she screamed. To finish it off, she 'accidentally' hit the off button on their game. They whined, seeing what she did.
"Yumiko, we just got through ten stages of the game! I could have beat Urameshi!"
"Why! I got so far and was about to whoop his ass again!"
"Shut up!" she screamed. "I am going to go scrounge around the house for something to wear, then take a godd---ed shower!" She stormed away, green hair bouncing angrily to match its mistress' mood.
Silence reigned for several moments.
"How the hell did she go through first day of boot camp with only a t-shirt on?"
WHAM.
"Yusuke, if you don't watch your tongue, you will have it cut out by me and I will skewer it for breakfast," she snarled.
"Isn't that cannibalism?" Kuwabara put in, rather unwisely.
Yumiko smiled sweetly. "Oh, when you add enough ketchup it drowns out the dirty taste in your mouth," she snapped. "You two punks- shut up." She finally left.
"Next time Yusuke, please be mindful of what you say," Kurama said with a sigh. "Comments like that will lead to your fall."
"Whatever you say Kurama."
"Yeah." Kuwabara nodded along with Yusuke. "We know something is going on with you and Yumiko."
Kurama sighed again. "I'm not in the mood to argue with you two again, but Yumiko and I are not a couple in any way." He headed to the door. "I have to go- I'm supposed to meet with someone."
-(Reikai)-
"Koenma sir?"
"What?" He looked up from his paperwork, sucking on his pacifier as always.
"Kurama is here to see you."
"What? Why? There aren't any new missions or anything of the sort."
"He says he needs to talk to you. It's urgent." The ogre nervously twisted his hands around themselves.
The prince huffed. "Fine, let him in." Jorge nodded, opening the door to admit Kurama, and leaving the two to their privacy.
"Yes?"
"I'm very sorry about intruding upon your personal time, but I have some news of importance," started the kistune politely.
"Well what is it about? Loose demon? Thief?"
"No, several hostages were taken by Rando."
He looked up from his papers. "Who?"
"Yukina, Shizuru, Atsuko, Botan… and my mother."
"Curse it!" The toddler pounded his fists on the desk. "How did you find this out?"
"Rando's message was delivered by some lower-class demons. They said we have two weeks."
"Two weeks." Koenma leaned back into his chair, rubbing his eyes. "Two weeks is far too little. Are we sure this is true?"
"The last time I saw my mother was when she left to get groceries. I didn't see Yukina when I was at Genkai's home."
"The last time I saw Botan… yesterday- she was picking up a load of spirits in the Ningenkai- some kind of bombing by these human terrorists."
"Bombing? Could it have been one of the techniques Rando stole from the Sato Clan? To make explosions or such? To bring Botan to him?"
"Possibly…" Koenma stared off into space "…probably… What are the conditions?"
"We have to give up Yumiko."
His focus seemed to be lost even more. "Yumiko…"
"What is our next move?"
His attention turned back to the fox. "Where is Yumiko?"
"Genkai's temple. I took her there after a demon scout attacked us at my house. Yusuke and Kuwabara are there as well. Hiei is in Makai- the earliest he'll come back on his own is the day after tomorrow." The redhead stilled eyed the prince for his answer.
"D---. The next best is Hinageshi- I'll have her scout him out today. Is there anything else I need to know?"
"Koenma, first answer my question."
He sighed. "I don't know what I can do Kurama. They're obviously being held by Rando himself, and I'm sure he'll have some form of security, other than himself."
"Act quickly. My mother… she has had no contact with demons before."
"Kurama, I know you're worried about her, but we can't act rashly. Did you tell Yumiko?"
"No."
-(Ningenkai)-
She had managed to take some clothes from another in the temple. She didn't know the owner, but she hoped she wouldn't mind. The person was a little bit smaller than her, but she had found a yukata- sadly, nothing else would fit her.
Rummaging along in the fridge, she only managed to turn up old food. 'D---. This sucks.' Sticking her head in the fridge, she spotted three containers of ice cream.
"Hm, let's see. Chocolate- yuck, that's nasty. No mint chocolate chip. The person who controls my life must be feeling particularly spiteful today. Oh, why? Maybe because I was chased through a forest by a stupid bat-thing who referred to himself in third person, went through boot camp with a grumpy old ass, was the subject of particularly perverted comments made by two punks, couldn't find any clothes except these to put on after my shower. Oops, and don't forget this morning; I wake up with Kurama looking at me-"
"Hn."
"F---!" She dropped the second carton of ice cream. "What the hell was that for Hiei!"
His eyes narrowed on the fallen ice cream. "Don't touch my sweet snow."
"It's called ice cream dumbass," she sneered in response to his glare. "And I didn't eat it. You have bad flavors- I wouldn't want to consume those. And I'm lactose intolerant for your information. I was looking for a popsicle." She tossed him the carton.
He glared at her, then at the ice cream.
"Fine, don't believe me. Just leave the ice cream there until it will go bad, or until one of the pigs eats it." He snorted, walking over to get a spoon from the drawers and into the living room to eat it. She sighed, turning back to the freezer. Grabbing a tray, she followed the apparition, settling down on the couch to watch Kuwabara and Yusuke make fools of themselves. Hiei was on the windowsill, easily devouring the cold food quickly.
"I'm back." Kurama stepped in.
"Hey Kurama." Yusuke and Kuwabara paused the game. "Whoa! What is Yumiko doing?"
"What, am I not allowed to sit here and watch you be idiots?" She glared.
Yusuke sheepishly shook his head. "No, I mean you're wearing-"
"A yukata!" Kuwabara was now also staring.
"Shut up. It was all I could find. Hey, who else lives here? These clothes are too big for Genkai to have. Unless she shrunk in old age…"
"Don't get your hopes up," Shuiichi responded dryly. "Yukina helps out."
"Ah, so the old biddy does have a nursing aid." Hiei growled. "What?"
"My love Yukina." Kuwabara sighed dreamily. "So kind and caring."
"Who gave him booze?"
"Shut up Yumiko! I'm in love with her!" A certain fire apparition whacked him upside the head with his sword. "OW! What was that for shorty!" A scuffle ensued, Hiei obviously with the upper hand.
"Yukina merely helps out around the temple," Kurama put in before Yumiko could get the wrong story. "She's an ice demon who lives here."
"Wicked." She grinned. "Where is she?"
"Err… I'm not quite sure," he lied.
"Fox." Kurama winced inwardly at the sound of Hiei's mental voice, although his face was unchanging.
"You weren't supposed to be here until-"
"What happened to Yukina."
"Later Hiei. Not in front of Yumiko."
"Whatever. I need more ice." Yumiko rose.
"You're like the shrimp!"
"Weird."
Kurama chuckled. "I hope you don't like ice cream as much as Hiei. We'll have the freezer cleaned out by tonight."
"Nah, I'm lactose intolerant. I'm on to popsicles and ice cubes- it's been my obsession for ages."
"You're lactose intolerant?"
"Yes. Sadly, I inherited it." Her mouth twitched slightly. She left for the kitchen to refill the tray.
"Hey Kurama- want to play with us?"
"No thank you Yusuke. I'm not that fond of video games." He quietly exited into the hall with Hiei.
"What's going on," he demanded roughly.
"Rando. He's taken hostages."
Hiei growled. "Where is she."
"Koenma hasn't-"
"Koenma can't do anything right," he snarled. Jumping to the nearby window, he leaped out, landing in the tree safely. Speeding away, Kurama could tell that he was undoing his bandana by now. He sighed.
'That certainly went well…'
"Kurama?" Yumiko stood in the doorway. "What was that about?"
"Nothing. Hiei is just in one of his moods."
She eyed him suspiciously. "Whatever you say," she said, clearly not believing. She left with a swish of her yukata, having established herself in a nearby bedroom.
Closing the door behind her with a sigh, Yumiko dropped to the floor, leaning against her bed. Snagging her headphones and ipod, she let it play randomly.
'Kurama…' she stared dreamily at the wall in front of her 'What happened this morning? You touched me… and looked at me… read me through… but I don't know how you feel.'
She fingered the vine he had given her, twirling it around her fingers. 'I don't know if you love me.' At last, she settled with twining it around her wrist as a bracelet. 'I need to talk to you.'
-(Makai)-
"She's starting to come to!"
"Sh!"
I stirred, opening my eyes slightly. "Where am I?"
"You're in Makai," a voice said quietly. I sat up, a pair of hands supporting my back. Examining my companions, I recognized one faintly.
"Shizuru? What's going on?" Four others smiled, relieved.
"A typical ningen question," drawled a voice nonchalantly. All of our heads snapped towards the voice. A man, muscular, with bright red hair like my Shuiichi's, and with strange blue markings, was standing below us. Only then did I realize that we were in some kind of giant spider web that suspended us thirty feet above a field of metal pikes. I shivered.
"What's happening?" My voice sounded small and timid. Shizuru only shushed me, blocking me from view of the man with her body, although I peeked around her.
"What do you want Rando?" I peered at the girl who had spoken up. She had bright blue hair, pulled up into a ponytail. She was dressed in a pink traditional kimono, and she seemed just about Shuiichi's age, as well as all of his friends. She had wide purple eyes, which were currently hardened in anger at the man.
"Just seeing how my prisoners are doing," he (Rando, I suppose) responded lightly with a smirk. "I wouldn't want you to fall before I used you."
"Yusuke will break us out," she responded confidently.
Rando laughed. "I'm sure. But I have everything all set up, don't you worry." Jumping up, he landed on the web. Nobody could have made that leap, but he had managed somehow.
"So, this is the kitsune's mother." He smirked. "Your son is having an excellent time, off with Yumiko."
"W-who?"
"Shut up Rando. She doesn't know," snarled Shizuru.
"Well, have fun explaining the three worlds to her. And about how her son's a demon." He left, jumping, leaving me to stutter in indignation.
'My son? Shuiichi? A demon?' "What is this world coming to," I muttered into my hands, which covered my face.
"That's what I'd like to know," Botan responded, sighing.
"We have to tell you something," another female said, with a light shade of green hair, and crimson eyes.
-(Ningenkai)-
"School."
Yumiko whacked her head on the table. "Are you s---ing me!"
"No, I'm not fooling with you."
"I said s---, don't censor me! You're not my family!"
Kurama sipped his tea calmly. "Someone has to act maturely in this house."
"Besides the senior?"
(Whack)
"I heard that Sato."
She slouched. "High school is so gonna kill."
He chuckled. "Not nearly so bad as you put it."
"He's lying." Yusuke walked in, pouring himself a cup of black coffee then collapsing at the table. "It's hell."
"You think all school is hell," she snarled. "I want a regular opinion."
"And what is mine?" commented the redhead mildly.
"You're a prodigy child, and therefore don't count." She whacked her head on the table again. "Am I the closest thing to normal in this house?"
"Hardly," responded Genkai. "If anything, it's Kuwabara."
"…"
"D---, she's right."
"Of course I'm right dimwit." (Whack)
"Ow!"
"Stop whining, it didn't hurt nearly as much."
"What, sore from boot camp?"
"Actually, yes. If you had woken up earlier, you would have seen me limp in here." She scowled. "The closest thing I've gotten to this painful muscle-wise… d---, maybe tennis camp."
"Trust me, this isn't as bad." Done with his coffee, and placing the mug in the sink with a slight crash "It's about a hundred times worse." He exited. She growled.
"Thanks for the words of wisdom," she muttered into her toast, glaring.
(Whack) "Don't fill yourself up. You're going to throw up."
"And if I don't eat, I'll fall over from lack of energy." She took another bite of toast. "Besides, toast is starch, which is better than fat or sugar in the morning. So I'm being healthier."
Another whack on the head shut her up. "Get up. We're going out."
"But I didn't-!"
"Don't argue Sato, just get out. Or I'll push you down the stairs." More scowls and mutters while the human was evicted, the redhead still smiling.
"WE'RE HERE!" A blur of red, white, and tan appeared, knocking down Yumiko, almost bumping into Genkai, before attacking Yusuke in the next room over.
"I'm very sorry about him Genkai-san." A gentle hand helped up Yumiko in the aftermath. "I'll try to restrain him next time."
Genkai grunted. "Make up with Sato before you go to me. Send her out when you're done." The master disappeared, to leave Touya standing there in the kitchen.
He twitched. 'How did she manage to get me on the spot like this…?'
: End Chapter
Insaneningen14: okay… so that's your chapter. I'm still editing the story, because since one of you guys was inquiring about Touya and Jin (like when they're going to come back) I changed it a little. Consistent reviews are appreciated
