A look into a day of Youko Kurama's past.
Youko Kurama had seen humans age, and die just as simply as he had observed leaves turn from green to red. He remembered lazy days watching children learn to walk, learn to play, learn to love...and then learn to go to war and learn to die. There was a lot of war among humans. A lot of dark times and poverty...and Kurama would be lying if he didn't say his thieving hadn't caused some of those dark times that the humans suffered through. He chuckled to himself and shifted his weight from his resting spot up a tree. He was just outside a human village, waiting for word from an old friend.
A child caught his attention as it came careening into view, charging up a hill as it giggled. 'Foolish child...' Kurama thought as the boy zipped around. Demons lurked nearby...demons besides himself who wouldn't mind munching on the bones of such and easy prey. Kurama made a face as the child giggled and laughed louder, unaware of the fox demon's presence. Pathetic creatures...What weak little fools humans proved to be.
Kurama shifted again and closed his eyes. He had more important things to think about.
It was mere days before his next meet with Kuronue. They had caught wind of a mirror...it had supposedly belonged to a God and would grant great power to the owner. In its handle were red gems, made from dragon's blood and crushed tear gems. Rumor had it there was a clan of ice maidens who could weep these mystical gems. A whole gem was worth quite a pretty penny...but none had ever been seen by Kurama's eyes. He doubted he'd ever lay his eyes on a whole tear mirror was a nice prize indeed...
Kurama's thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched scream.
Looking down he saw the small human boy being lifted in the air. A rat demon had taken the bait, and caught up the child in an easy swoops. Hissing and drooling it held up the child before him, enjoying the sight of the screaming little boy. Kurama noted to the child's credit, he wasn't crying.
Kurama frowned as the child kept screaming-ugh! What a headache! 'Just kill it already!' Kurama thought grumpily as the other demon seemed to be taking its time in frightening the child.
"Enough," the fox hissed, his ears pressed flat to his head as the child's bellows became louder.
Jumping from the tree, he ripped his hands through the other demon's skull as easy as one would through wet tissue paper.
The child fell with the rest of the demon's body, landing with a yelp on the ground. Kurama shook the blood from his hand. He hated it when people played with their food.
Big brown eyes stared wide up at Kurama as the fox demon loomed over him. Kurama leered down at the child. Again he mentally commended the child for not crying. What a brave little human for not bursting in to tears, like so many others before him.
"Thank you!" The child stammered his voice as wobbly as his legs as he got up, dusting off his brown yukata as he spoke, "y-you really saved me!"
"Run home to your mother..." Kurama snorted, rolling his eyes before taking a seat beneath a tree just adjacent to the one he had been in. He settled at the tree's roots, and closed his eyes, tail curling around himself as he tried to relax.
That should have been that. His good deed for the day. But to his annoyance, he felt the child draw closer. Opening his eyes, ready to shout or perhaps end the child's existence he was...slightly intrigued to see the boy holding out something wrapped up in bamboo leaves. With an arched silver brow Kurama accepted the gift.
The child grinned before practically shouting, "I'm Tokko Urameshi!" With a sly little smile, the child giggled and was off, tearing off in the direction of the human village.
Kurama blinked, one of his silver ears flopping over at the absurdity of the situation. Turning his eyes to the parcel, Kurama unraveled it seeing what appeared to be two rice balls. Taking the offering, Kurama ate it, amused he had won himself a snack.
"...Uramehsi...What a weird child."
Oh well. It didn't matter. He'd never have to deal with him again.
End