Rei says:

Ahh, it feels so good to be back!
Did you guys miss me? Huh? Huh? Did ya?

Aww, I know you did.

I want to say a huge, huge, HUGE thank-you to everyone who reviewed and gave me their support and their own take on the whole incident. Without you guys, I probably would have given up on this story and it would take much longer to actually update. There's even a few people who took the time to e-mail me! To those of you who did, it meant to much! I'm glad there are people out there who care enough to do so. You guys made me feel so much better about the whole thing.

I really am sorry about the long wait for this chapter.
But! I'm getting back on track! And I set up a new goal -
I'm going to try to get this story to twenty chapters by my birthday (April 25th)! So don't worry! I am still alive and breathing, and perfectly able to type my little fingers off! And that's what I aim to do. So, I want you guys to review and leave me some support, okay? There's a little catch to the next update this time, too, so let's try and make that goal! All righty?

Enjoy the chapter! Please R&R!

Chapter 18

Kurama lay on his bed, exhausted. His hands were placed behind his head, acting as a pillow, as he ran the events of the night three days ago, when he had transformed into Youko to protect Kana from Deimus.

Why?

He had asked his other self the same question dozens of times, and each time he got the same mysterious chuckle, sounding faded as if it were heard from miles away. He sighed, frustrated, pulling one arm from behind his head to place it over his eyes. If it weren't for Youko, he would never have had any idea that the wolf demon was anywhere near her. If he hadn't allowed him to take over, what would've happened to her?

He shook his head to one side, as if letting the thought pour out onto his bed and out of his mind. Why, Youko?

I was only playing with the girl, Youko finally replied with an answer, his voice laced with amusement. Just having a little fun, is all.

In his mind he saw Youko leaning in to kiss Kana, watching it as if he were floating somewhere near the ceiling. He flushed, and he heard Youko chuckle once more. He was enjoying this, he realized with a hint of annoyance.

I've never known you to blush, Shuichi.

I'm not blushing.

Sure you are.

Kurama sat up in his bed quickly, feeling annoyed. He cupped his face in his hands and gazed out the open window, trying to ignore Youko's laughter.

Kana heaved her bag over her shoulder as she entered the school, not making eye contact with anyone. She had now been here for almost three weeks, and it was clear she wasn't going to make any friends. Not that she really cared. She didn't want to be here, and, judging by the strange glances she had been given during her days here, they didn't want her here either. So here, she kept to herself mainly, made small talk when needed, and stayed out of people's way.

She stopped at her locker, dumping her bag onto the floor. She picked up her lock and began to put in her combination, which she had memorized by now. She was not in a good mood today. Ever since three days ago, when fox-man and wolf-man showed up at her place, she'd been losing more and more sleep, paranoid that one of them might show up again. Deimus had found her here, but how?

She growled to herself, swinging her locker open and beginning to unzip her backpack to put in some binders. At least this place didn't require a uniform, Kana thought absently, looking down at her worn pair of jeans. Finally she didn't need to wear a skirt. Sadly, that was the only upside to this school.

Not only has she lost sleep, but her uncle had been avoiding her like the plague. She still can't get his words out of her head. She had been meaning to confront him about it, but what good would that do?

Her aunt had been following her around, apologizing for her husband's behavior, thinking it to be her fault somehow. No matter how much she tried to tell her not to worry about it, she kept at it. At Ayamu, she was…well, distant as ever. Not that that was going to change. But she had talked more in these past three days than she had ever had in the few two weeks she had been here.

She closed her locker and sighed. On top of everything, there was this boy that kept following her everywhere…

"Fair maiden!"

Kana groaned inwardly, hearing Kuga's voice, the same guy she had met a few days ago at the dumpster, of all places. Turns out he's at the same school as her, as she discovered two days ago when he nearly ran her down in the hallway screaming 'fair maiden!' at the top of his lungs. He was really nice, and, (surprise, surprise) very popular. He was extremely childish, though, which led to some awkward moments and strange outbursts. And no matter how much she tried to talk him out of it, he always insisted on calling her 'fair maiden'.

He untangled himself from a small crowd of people and made his way over to her, wearing yet again another strange outfit. How does he get away with it? She wondered vaguely, looking down at the clunky black boots covered with straps he was wearing, which made him look even taller than he already was. A bright orange hoodie was zipped up all the way, and he was wearing baggy black cargo pants. A gaggle of necklaces and bracelets adorned his neck and wrists. Yet again, he resembled a slightly crazed cosplayer.

He grinned at her, wrapping his arms around her tightly in a hug before she could protest. "What's shakin'?" he cried happily, following her down the hallway. Kana couldn't help but crack a smile at his strange self.

"Nothing really," she answered. She noticed that, although he wore many bracelets, he wasn't wearing the one that she had thought she recognized when she first met him. She ran a hand through her hair, looking around at the people in the hallways. Most of them had raised a hand in greeting to Kuga, most of them ended up screaming out his name. He just smiled in reply, not giving them much attention. She was glad that at least one person in this school bothered to talk to her, even if the one person seemed to be a little out of his mind.

"I've got a test today," he said, trying to make a conversation, "and I didn't study for it!"

Kana smiled, opening her mouth to say something.

"Kuga!" a shorter guy, looking the same age as Kuga, ran up to the both of them, raising both hands, waiting for Kuga to give him a high-five before running off again.

"You're…popular, aren't you?" she asked, looking up at him.

Kuga looked at her, surprised. "Me? No," he said, grinning self-consciously. "It just so happens that a lot people know my name."

"Same thing, isn't it?"

"I don't know," he answered cheerily, shrugging. "Is it?" Kuga fell silent for a moment before wheeling onto Kana suddenly, making her step back in surprise. "Aren't you popular, fair maiden?"

Kana snorted. "Are you kidding?" she asked, looking at him.

"No," he replied innocently, blinking at her. "Aren't you?" Kana sighed, shaking her head. He gaped at her. "Why not?"

"People in this school…are different," she said, after a moment of thinking of what to say. "But it's all right," she said quickly, "I don't mind."

Kuga seemed to pout. "That's not fair," he said, looking at her. "Don't worry, Kana, leave it me!"

Before she could protest, the bell rang, and he waved to her before disappearing into the crowds again. She shook her head, making her way to class. How he was going to do that, she wasn't sure she really wanted to find out.

"Minamino."

Kurama didn't seem to know that the teacher had put her hands on her hips, looking at him sternly. He staring out the window, watching the world outside.

"Minamino."

Students turned in their seats to look at Kurama, or, rather, Shuichi Minamino, who continued to gaze out the window absent-mindedly. He still didn't to respond.

"Minamino," the teacher said sternly, beginning to lose her patience.

A student behind him tapped his shoulder, and only then did he seem to snap out of it. He blinked his emerald eyes, seeing the teacher standing over him, the students all looking his way, surprised that the amazing Shuichi Minamino had been caught daydreaming in class.

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly, looking at the teacher.

The teacher sighed. "Don't let it happen again, Minamino," she responded, turning her back to him and making her way to the chalkboard.

Students shifted back around in their seats, their hushed whispers ceasing abruptly. Kurama sighed, running his hands through his crimson locks, embarrassed to have been caught by the teacher like that.

Before long, the bell rang, and students got up quickly, eager to get out of the classroom. Kurama picked up his binder slowly, tucking it under his arm as he made his way towards the exit.

"Shuichi-kun?"

He paused for a moment, then turned towards the voice. A girl stood there, beginning to blush furiously when he laid eyes on her. He recognized her vaguely. She was one of the girls in his grade, one that was usually quiet and kept to herself.

"Yes?" he asked politely, wondering what the girl would want from him.

She looked up at him, beginning to stumble over her words as she talked. "Um, well…I was just wondering, if maybe, um--," she stopped, blushing. "…if you were maybe, well…free on Friday?" She gazed up at him hopefully.

Kurama paused, looking at the girl. "I'm sorry, but no," he said, trying to sound as apologetic as possible. The girl's face visibly fell.

"Oh," she said, her voice sounding small. "I see." She went to pick up her books, then turned to him. "Is it…is it because there's someone else?"

She watched him intently for his answer, studying his face. Kurama shifted his gaze from her eyes then, turning towards the door, not facing her.

"Yes."

"I'm home!" Kana shouted as she stepped into her aunt's house, taking off her shoes. She sighed, sitting on the base of the stairs, feeling drained. She heard her aunt shout something in answer, but she didn't catch it. Instead, she headed into the kitchen, where she saw her aunt standing over the stove, stirring a pot.

"Hey hun," she said warmly, seeing Kana. She couldn't help but smile in answer, somehow getting used to her aunt's attitude already.

"What are you cooking?" Kana asked, peering into the pot a little cautiously. Her aunt looked at her brightly, as if happy that she had asked.

"Soup!" cried her aunt, grinning from ear-to-ear. "I just started. It should be ready by dinnertime. Do you have any homework to do, dear?"

"Yeah," Kana responded, already beginning to leave the kitchen.

"I'll call you down when dinner's ready, all righty?"

"Sure," she smiled, exiting the room and making her way up the stairs.

"Oh!" her aunt cried, causing her to stop and turn to look at her from where she stood on the stairs. Her aunt came out of the kitchen. "Kana, do you know what happened to the curtain rod in your room? I wanted to put up the curtains today, but the curtain rod was missing."

Kana had something of a flashback, remembering whacking Deimus over the head with it three nights ago. She held back a smile and pretended to act surprised. "No," she said, blinking. Her aunt smiled, waving her hands.

"Never mind, then, we'll get a new one later," she said, heading back into the kitchen.

Long after dinner ended, Kana sat up in her room on the bed, the window open as she poured over her homework, biting the end of her pen angrily.

"Stupid homework," she said to the paper she began to write on. "I hate you." She stared at the paper, as if waiting for it to reply, or perhaps magically give the answer to the question.

"Homework, eh? Not much fun, is it?"

Kana screamed, one hand clutched over heart, caught totally off-guard. She turned slowly towards the window, where the voice had come from.

"Hiya!" a girl with bright blue hair smiled at her, but it wasn't her hair color that had her surprised. She was flying.

On an oar.

Kana was speechless as she floated into her room, hopping off the oar, her mouth dropping open when it disappeared to nowhere. She was wearing a pink kimono, her blue hair pulled into a ponytail.

"Did I scare you? I'm sorry," she apologized perkily, giggling.

Kana said nothing, still gaping at her. Suddenly she heard her aunt's footsteps heading towards her room, and she quickly got up to lock the door, clamping her hand over the scary oar-lady's mouth so she wouldn't speak.

"Kana? Did you just scream?"

"No," she answered loudly, and stood stock-still, her hand still on the blue-haired girl's mouth to keep her from talking out loud.

"Oh, well, all right," her aunt said, loud enough for her to hear through the door. Kana waited until she heard her aunt go back downstairs before she dropped her hands back to her side.

"Who are you?" Kana asked the girl, who just blinked at her. "How'd you get here?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. I mean, how did you--," she flapped her arms around, searching for a word, "do what you just did?"

The kimono-clad girl cocked her head to one side, her ponytail flopping with the sudden movement. "The name's Botan, also known as the Grim Reaper!"

Kana just stared. "Uh, okay…" Well, there was one answer she was not expecting. "Grim Reaper?"

Botan giggled. "Doesn't suit me much, I know. I get that all the time." She cleared her throat, then started talking again. "Okay. Now. You're Kana, right?"

"How'd you know my name?" Kana asked, furrowing her brows.

"I know everyone's name, silly. It comes with the job, you know," she said, pulling out a small book and beginning to flip through it. "See this? It's got everyone's name in it, and when they're going to die and such. As the Grim Reaper, it's my job to take care of that sort of thing, you know." Botan winked, and what she had just said bothered Kana a little.

"Wait…so I'm going to die soon? Is that it?"

Botan stopped, then laughed, waving her hand dismissively, grinning. "Oh, no, silly! I'm here to take you to Spirit World. Lord Koenma wishes to see you."

"Koenma?"

Botan nodded curtly. "Yep."

"That name sounds familiar," she mused. Suddenly, the light bulb went off in her head. "Oh, is that the little kid that Yusuke gets ordered around by?"

"The one and only," Botan answered cheerily. "And he wants to speak with you. So, if you'll come with me," she said, her oar appearing in her outstretched hand. She hopped onto it, then held out her palm, beckoning for Kana to get on as well. "We should get going. Lord Koenma is a little impatient lately. He's been overloaded with work."

Kana looked at her, this strange girl, and then back at her room. "What if they notice I'm gone?"

"Oh, don't worry about that," Botan said, "that'll all be taken care of. You just need to come with me."

Kana paused, as if considering it, then took Botan's hand and climbed on herself.

"Hold on!" Botan cried, and just like that, they flew out the open window and into the darkness.

"Lord Koenma, Botan has returned." A blue ogre appeared at the huge double doors, opening it with some difficulty. Koenma looked up from where he sat, then nodded.

"Good, good. Let them in."

"Of course, sir." The ogre stepped away for a moment, and then Botan and Kana appeared, walking into the room. Koenma set aside some papers, folding his hands on his desk neatly, trying to make himself appear orderly and dignified.

"Lord Koenma," Botan said, bowing. Koenma nodded to Botan.

"Good job, Botan. I knew I could count on you." He looked past her and stared at teenager standing behind her, looking around at the room with awe. He cleared his throat, and the girl looked in his direction quickly. "Kana, is it?"

Kana nodded, and Botan stepped aside, beckoning for her to come closer. A little awkwardly, she did so, regarding the toddler with curiosity and confusion. "Y-yes," she said quietly, unsure of what to do or say.

"You've gotten yourself into a heap of trouble, haven't you?" Koenma said, his pacifier moving around in an odd way as he spoke. Kana cocked her head to one side. He paused, then looked towards Botan. "You're dismissed, Botan. I'll call you in when I need you again."

"Yes, sir," she said, and with a small bow, began making her way out of the room. Koenma waited until the huge double-doors swung shut with a loud bang before turning his attention back to Kana.

"I presume Yusuke has told you about…them, yes?"

"That…they're Spirit Detectives?"

Koenma nodded. "Yes, exactly." He took in a deep breath, twiddling his thumbs as he spoke. "I wasn't expecting him to do so, you know. It was very unwise, telling people about what they are and such. But when I heard about who you were, well then, that changed everything." He leaned in closer, his pudgy child hands placed on the desk. "Your brother is a wanted criminal."

"I-I know that," answered Kana quietly.

"They almost completed their mission three nights ago, until you interfered." His gaze grew stern, and Kana flushed, feeling embarrassed for her rash actions that night. "I understand. He was your brother, and you wanted to protect him." His tone turned soft, and Kana nodded. "Understand this: he is not your brother anymore. The demon has taken total control of his body, and he will never emerge again. He is dead to you, Kana. Your brother will never regain control of his own body. The demon has corrupted him, made him weak. He is lost to the world, now."

Kana's eyes widened, feeling hot tears prick in the corners. "You do realize what will happen when they get their hands on him?"

Kana stayed quiet this time, not answering him. She looked down at her lap, but when Koenma started speaking again, she met his eyes directly.

"When the Tantei get their hands on that demon, Kana, they will kill him."

200 reviews until the next chapter!

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Until next time,
Atomic Rei