Hey everyone, I just wanted to tell you all how much it means to me that you enjoy Music Or The Misery 3 And to reward you, I'm updating with two chapters instead of one. I'm not too crazy about how they're written, but maybe I'm just being me. Again, I appreciate your dedication as my fans and readers :3! 3 Enjoy (I hope) 3
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the original Yu Yu Hakusho characters, or Evelyn Hunter. The latter is the sole property of Gina Leone, and the former belonging to Yoshihiro Togashi. Also, Kumiko Yenma belongs to Nicole Summers Fuko's mine though. :D Thanks for reading!
Chapter Fifteen:
"To avoid complications, she never kept the same address. In conversation she spoke just like a baroness…"
For what felt like hours, Fuko walked back and forth outside of Koenma's castle. She had to apologize to Eve, and somehow convey it with the exact amount of sincerity that she felt. This wasn't going to be easy though. Not only did the nagging voice of her pride constantly try to justify her actions, but she couldn't quite get the words right. She said all of her ideas aloud, like some nervous hormonal pre-teen getting ready to ask someone to a school dance.
"Eve, listen, I'm really sorry…" She began. No, it wouldn't work. It was too cliché.
"Eve it wasn't what it looked like..." She immediately stopped that one. It sounded like she was cheating on her or something.
"Eve, I-"
"What are you up to?" Came a voice from behind her. She gave a shout and jumped forward. Hiei stood there, arms crossed and only slightly bloody from his prior "encounter" with her.
"If you must know, I'm trying to come up with a way to apologize to Eve." Fuko replied with a wistful sigh.
"What for?" Hiei asked, though he gave off the air of being rather uninterested.
"Well she never knew about the whole me-working-for-Karasu-thing." Fuko told him.
"And?" Hiei pressed, still rather blasé about the whole thing.
"And that infuriating red-headed jack-ass took it upon himself to go and tell her while I was chasing you and Yusuke down with an intent to kill."
"Pardon my lack of sympathy." Hiei said dryly. He sat down, cross-legged, and Fuko followed suit.
"Well it still sucks for me." She stated.
"You shouldn't be surprised, Kuwabara does stupid things a lot." Fuko blinked after a moment.
"I'm not talking about Kuwa-Baka." She told him. Hiei raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested.
"Oh? Then you wouldn't happen to be referring to—"
"The one and only."
"Kurama?"
"Did I stutter?" Hiei stopped, mulling this over, though the news seemed to give him pleasure.
"Really now…so you're angry with him?" He asked nonchalantly.
"Tch. When am I not??" Fuko said with a roll of her gold eyes.
"Hm…I had a question for you." Hiei told her after a moment's pause.
"Eh?" Fuko asked raising an eyebrow.
"I wanted to know if you—" Hiei's eyes went wide as he grabbed her around the waist suddenly, and leapt to the side.
"What the hell!?" Fuko demanded as he landed. Her confused exclamation got its response, however, shortly thereafter. A figure was sent flying into the ground right where they were sitting, creating a rather sizable crater.
"..Ah…I see." Fuko said a bit sheepishly. Hiei shrugged and dropped her. From the crater, Jin poked his cheerfully red Irish head up.
"Ha! Not bad Urameshi! I didn't see that one coming!" Right on cue, Yusuke jumped down from a large hole in the castle wall, landing neatly near the three of them. He paused and turned to his sister.
"Hey, what are you and Hiei up to?" He asked.
"…" Hiei said nothing. Deciding to just go with the first thing on her mind, Fuko told the obnoxious greasy-headed youth,
"Not that it's any of your business, he was helping me with an apology I'm going to make to Eve." She said, crossing her arms. Yusuke blinked, auburn eyes wide.
"Whoa." He gasped. Fuko scowled.
"What." She stated, daring him to make an insult. An opening that, naturally, he seized.
"Oh nothing…I just thought it was, I dunno', biologically impossible for you to apologize." He said with a shrug. Fuko smirked, twitching.
"You mean like how it's 'biologically impossible' for you to attract and hold onto members of the opposite sex?" Yusuke laughed.
"Ha! Joke's on you. Keiko and I are engaged, remember?" This threw Fuko for a loop.
"What?" She asked with genuine bewilderment.
"Didn't I tell you?" He sheepishly scratched the back of his overly-gelled head.
"Well judging my current attitude, I think you can conclude that you most certainly did NOT." She exclaimed. Amid this feud between siblings, Hiei silently slipped away. This went without the Urameshis' notice, though.
"Ah..um…well…we kind of got engaged when I got back from…a tournament…" He paused, thinking about his words.
"Wait…that's right. You were still in the finishing school when it happened."
"Well that's great. I really am always the last to know these things, aren't I?" Fuko inquired bitterly. She whirled around and stormed off. She needed some alone time to further consider what she'd say to Eve. That and she needed to be as far away from her idiot brother as humanly (or inhumanly) possible.
†◊†
Fuko sighed, leaning against a tree, a mix in her CD player, which was, at the moment, her only source of music, and her only real friend…But, of course, she couldn't do things with the CD player like ramble, play cards, or see movies with it…well, she could, but she couldn't do any of these things without seeming completely and utterly insane. She skipped a few tracks, eyes closed to let her be dead to the world for just a little while. It landed on a random track. She recognized the beginning (as she did with most songs), it was "Killer Queen" by Queen.
"She keeps Moet et Chandon
In her pretty cabinet
'Let them eat cake' she says,
Just like Marie Antoinette.
A built-in remedy
For Khrushchev and Kennedy
At anytime an invitation
You can't decline…"
Over the music, she could just make out a sound; someone approaching. She opened her eyes instantly on guard. Lo and behold, it was none other than Kurama, who was approaching her with something at his side; more than likely, a type of peace-offering. She gave him the iciest glare she could manage in her sadness and then closed her eyes again, deciding that it'd be best to just block him out. She didn't need any more to deal with, especially if it involved the friendship-killing-wonder.
"She's a Killer Queen,
Gunpowder, turpentine,
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime…"
Much to her dismay, he was not discouraged by this blatant display of cold-shouldering. He walked over and sat in front of her. Fuko opened one eye, saw him sitting and staring at her, rather patiently, like a cat or something. She shut her eye and was determined to ignore him even more obviously than before…though as to how, she wasn't exactly sure yet. She was fortunate, though, that her favorite verse had begun, with which, she could continue her cold-shouldering.
"To avoid complications
She never kept the same address
In conversation
She spoke just like a baroness."
She retained a groan. If she could "speak like a baroness", chances were, she'd probably be a hell of a lot better at coming up with the right way to apologize to Eve. She opened her eyes again, and sure enough, he was still there and staring. It was beginning to get a bit creepy….Hell, screw "beginning to", he had far surpassed that point. It had become downright unnerving. Admitting defeat, she gave an aggravated growl as she removed her headphones. She wished she was a "Killer Queen"...then she could just use her weaponry to "blow his mind"...literally.
"What." She hissed, not in the mood for whatever it was he intended on saying. He took a deep breath and sighed. Fuko rolled her eyes. Great. A deep breath and a sigh. That only meant one thing; he was going to either lecture her, or give her some B.S. long-winded apology. She really wasn't exactly keen on sitting and listening to either.
"You have twenty seconds. Go."
"Twenty seconds??" Kurama asked, exasperated.
"Nineteen, eighteen…" Fuko counted down. Kurama sighed and decided that this opportunity was better than nothing.
"Here. I'm sorry." He shoved something into her hands; the whatever-it-was that he was holding before. It was a small heart-shaped wreath of flowers…
"Roses….and lily of the valley…" She said quietly, a bit touched by this offering, seeing as it consisted of her favorite flowers. She cursed him for managing to dodge her anger with such a pretty gift.
"…I had Yusuke tell me…." He explained, looking a bit anxious; as though doing something outwardly nice wasn't something he was used to.
"Heh…I didn't think the grease-monkey would remember…." Fuko said, turning the wreath over in her hands gingerly.
"Careful…he told me you liked the roses with thorns—" Right on cue, Fuko ever-so-brilliantly scratched her finger open.
"Ah crud." She said nonchalantly holding her hand out and watching the bright crimson liquid contrast her chalk-white skin. Kurama seized the hand and brought the bleeding cut to his mouth. Fuko's eyes widened and she blushed, not knowing exactly what to do. One of her instincts told her to shout at him, another told her to smile, a third told her to jerk her hand away...and a fourth told her to tap-dance. Yeah, she didn't typically listen to her fourth instinct. So naturally, in this clash of instincts, she decided to ever-so-articulately say,
"Eeh..uh…?" She felt brilliant, truly. Her fourth instinct laughed at her and told her that next time she should listen and tap-dance. Kurama took the hand away from his mouth, the dribbling blood gone. He tore a piece of a sash that hung from his waist, and tied it around her finger.
"There." He said with a smile. It was an attractive yet someone eerie sight, with a slight smudge of her blood on his mouth.
"Ah…you got a little something there." Fuko told him, pointing to the spot on her own mouth, rather amused at her indifference to the substance, referring to it as though it were a smear of catsup or chocolate sauce. He wiped at it with the back of his arm with a nonchalance that mimicked hers regarding what made up the smudge.
"Did I get it?" He asked.
"Ah…not quite." She admitted.
"Where else is it?" He asked, his face nearing hers slightly.
"Ah…it's…right…there." She said, getting a bit nervous from his proximity to her.
"Here?" He asked. She nodded and he rubbed at it again.
"Now?" He inquired.
"Just a bit left." His face got closer; she could feel his breath tangle with hers.
"Really?" Blushing madly, Fuko nodded. Suddenly, Kurama backed away from her as though she were on fire. He gave an annoyed look to no one in particular.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Fine." He said in a curt manner, but not to her specifically.
"What's wrong?"
"Just….a little voice in the back of my head telling me I forgot something…" He told her. He stood.
"To apologize to Eve, get some roses and daisies. She strikes me as a rose-and-daisy person." He whirled around and went off, muttering something under his breath. Fuko blinked.
"Gee, that was only slightly unnerving." She said to no one in particular. She picked up her CD player and decided to go in search of the flowers and heed the strange red-head's advice. Her headphones blared once again,
"She's a Killer Queen,
Gunpowder, turpentine,
Dynamite with a laser beam
Guaranteed to blow your mind
Anytime…"
◊†◊
After about an hour of searching, Fuko had no luck finding the daisies or roses. Roses, the infuriating rarity was understandable, but no daisies?! That was just Fate's way of laughing at her; banning any growth of the common flower anywhere in a hundred-yard-radius to her.
"God damn you plant gods! I never knew you conspired with the gods-of-making-Fuko-miserable!" She muttered to herself. She gave up her pointless wandering and returned to the castle, collapsing on her back and gazing up at the azure sky, wondering where in the world she'd find roses and daisies. A shadow obscured her view of the sky, though; a spiky head. She rolled upward into a sitting position. Hiei was standing there, watching her. He seemed a bit agitated, but not very.
"Hey there." Fuko greeted, stretching like a cat. He nodded, acknowledging her existence, while still refusing to actually take the extra initiative and actually say anything.
"What were you going to ask before?" Fuko inquired, suddenly remembering how the quibble between her brother and her had cut him short.
"…That can wait. You're looking for something?" He asked. Fuko started.
"How did you…?"
"I can see into your head remember?"
"Ah. Damn. Right. Forgot about that…" She kicked herself mentally. That was a definite BAD thing to go about forgetting.
"So, to reiterate, you're looking for something?" He repeated. Fuko nodded.
"I'll get whatever it is for you…if you do something for me." Hiei bargained. Fuko gave him a slightly mistrusting look.
"Oh? What…?" She asked a bit reluctantly, not liking to owe anyone anything.
"I'll tell you later, after you get what you want. Deal?" Hiei put his hand out and waited. After a moment's hesitation, Fuko nodded and took it. His hand was rough and calloused…it was apparent that he practiced his sword-play quite a bit. He gripped her hand tightly.
"Agreed." Fuko said with another nod. They stood there for a moment. Hiei released her hand, after a moment, looking almost embarrassed of what he had done in taking it.
"So what do you need…?" He muttered.
"Roses and daisies." Fuko told him. He gave her an incredulous look.
"I can get the roses, but why can't you find daisies?"
"Look, the gods are conspiring against me. Just get the damn flowers??" Fuko twitched, not wanting someone aside from her to point out this rather obvious fact. Hiei shrugged and ran off. Fuko stretched again and laid back. She'd get the flowers, and then apologize to Eve, and then all would be right in the world….she hoped.
†◊†
It actually took about four or five minutes for Hiei to return with a bouquet of red roses and daisies; the most beautiful Fuko had ever seen...except for maybe the wreath Kurama gave her that rested neatly beside her on the grass. She raised her eyebrows, once again rolling into a sitting position.
"Damn…that was fast. Where'd you get them?" She asked, taking the bouquet.
"…Nowhere." Was the rather specific response. After handing her the bundle of flowers, he handed her one more. It was a rose…a black rose.
"A black rose…I didn't know these existed…" Fuko breathed. It was lovely….
"Yeah I know." Hiei was looking away, rather resembling Kurama when he had given her the wreath.
"Is it for Eve?" She asked. He gave her a look as if trying to see whether or not she was serious, or just pulling his leg with the question.
"No. I figured, I don't know, you'd like it…" He muttered.
"Oh…thank you." Fuko said sincerely with a smile. He nodded and turned.
"Wait, what do you want in return for them??" Fuko asked.
"I'll tell you later. Go apologize." He told her. He walked off in his typical aloof manner.
"Alright then…" Fuko said, more to herself than him. She took a deep breath; time to find Eve.
◊†◊
Searching in the hallway for Eve, Fuko bumped into Kumi.
"Oof…Oh, sorry!" Fuko apologized.
"It's alright." Kumi said with a kind smile, bending down and picking up some papers she dropped. Fuko bent down and helped her gather the remaining sheets.
"Oh, your 'teachers' are looking for you." Kumi told her with a soft laugh at referring to them as "teachers". Fuko rolled her eyes.
"Oh joy. Well they can wait. Looking forward to Saturday?" She grinned. Kumi blushed a soft pink color.
"Um..yes…I suppose…" She said quietly. Fuko laughed.
"You're so cute." She grinned even broader, which made Kumi go pinker, and resulted in her becoming more adorable.
"Oh have you seen Eve?" Fuko asked, suddenly remembering the bouquet in one of her hands and her quest.
"She's out back under the pavilion." Kumi informed her. Fuko blinked.
"We have a pavilion??" Kumi nodded and pointed in its direction.
"Weird…alright, thanks Kumi." Fuko smiled and turned, running the way Kumi had indicated. Jeeze, after all the trouble she was going through, she hoped Eve would forgive her, lest her efforts all be for naught.
†◊†
After exiting through the door Kumi told her about, Fuko walked out to the area behind the castle; it was a sort of courtyard, with lush grass, a fountain, and sure enough, a pavilion overlooking a pond. Eve sat at the pond's edge, skipping stones across. Fuko walked over slowly, as though Eve were some sort of feral animal that would run if she approached too quickly. Eve heard her, though, and looked up.
"Oh. It's you." She stated. Fuko sighed and brought forth the bouquet. Puzzled, Eve took it, and then, couldn't help but joke,
"What, are you proposing?" Deciding to continue the joke, Fuko said,
"Well if you're accepting."
"What if I am?"
"Then we'll need a date, dresses, and a cake." Eve laughed and then tried to reassume her bad mood. Fuko took a deep breath.
"Look Eve, I'm really sorry…I just….I figured if I told you the truth you'd get freaked out."
"Well you THINK? You were working for a sadistic maniacal bastard!!" Eve exclaimed.
"I know but I figured…I dunno…you were my only friend and you'd leave." Fuko told her. Eve blinked.
"Well that's dumb." Fuko blinked.
"What's dumb?" She demanded.
"That. I mean, if I knew the truth about Karasu I'd get you the hell away from him. I wouldn't up and abandon you." Eve explained.
"…Oh. Well, I feel silly." Fuko admitted. Eve smirked and handed her a rock to skip.
"You are forgiven." She said.
"Really?" Fuko asked, amazed by the sheer easiness of it.
"Mmm…well…throw in a box of Pocky, and you are." Fuko laughed.
"Agreed." The two skipped rocks and began to talk, nothing between them changed in the slightest.
◊†◊
After they made up and talked for a while the sun dipped down on the horizon and it was time for them to go inside. As they began to leave, though, Fuko paused. Hiei was standing by the pavilion.
"Ah, I'll be right back." She told Eve. Eve nodded and continued on inside. Fuko walked over.
"Hey, I owe you something?" She asked. He nodded. There was an awkward silence.
"We…what is it?" Fuko asked.
"Dinner." Hiei replied. Fuko blinked.
"Dinner's inside." She told him. He massaged his forehead.
"You aren't used to being asked out, are you?" He inquired bluntly. Fuko stopped, mind reeling at his words.
"Eh?"
"You. Me. Dinner. My treat." He told her slowly for her to understand.
"But I thought I owed you something…." Then she realized what he meant. A dinner…with the two of them…alone….and not Mc Donald's (not that she'd want to eat there).
"Aah…I see. Um…sure…time and place…?" Fuko asked, a bit excited but also a bit uncomfortable with it.
"Tomorrow. You'll see." He paused for a moment.
"What?" Fuko asked.
"Wear a dress." He added. He then went inside, leaving Fuko standing outside, confused, unsettled, and just a bit hungry. After a minute or two, Eve poked her head out the doorway.
"Hey, you coming or what? I thought you drowned in the pond." She called. A worried-looking Kumi stood behind her.
"Ah…right…yeah! Coming." Fuko shouted back, finally collecting the thoughts that had spilt out across her mind like a child's upset toy-box. She jogged back to them, the last verse of "Killer Queen" on her mind,
"Recommended at the price
Insatiable an appetite
Wanna try?
You wanna try…"
She smiled to herself. Yeah…maybe she did want to try….
†◊†