Disclaimer – this is in a different world and I can portray an orphanage as I please, but if you have any information you would like to share with me, it would be most appreciated.

Also, I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, but I do own Victoria.

Kuronue 3

Kuronue sat in a dumbfounded silence. His principle was standing at his side, patting the boy on the shoulder in some form of condolence.

"I'm very sorry Lucius. I heard that the crash at least was fast. From what they can tell… they didn't suffer much"

This was too much for a ten-year-old boy.

It was the end of his second year in middle school, he was to graduate and move on to eighth grade soon. Happily enough, he had stayed in Johnson Junior High during the last two and a half year, and near Victoria. She became his first, and only friend since obtaining a human body. Wanting to stay together, Victoria taught Kuronue how to make sure he wasn't bumped up another grade level. To say the least, it worked.

Saying that his father was mad that his boy wasn't more of a genius was quite the understatement. He tried to beat the intelligence out him for weeks following his first test. But, eventually, he gave up, sobbing in a corner about how her had a 'dumb' son.

But Kuronue had survived worse than this. And most importantly, he had Victoria by his side.

Being able to show the more mischievous and demonic side of his personality was a wonderful freedom that Kuronue had feared he wouldn't be allowed to show. He even went to the point of teaching Victoria the finer art of stealing after she taught him to fail.

It was a blossoming friendship that drew ever closer with the more time they spent together. Both being strangely bright for their age caused them seek each other as companions more than the older children they learned with.

The more time he spent with Victoria, the more Kuronue learned. She was an orphan, first and foremost. Her parents had died in a house fire when she was five, and with no other relatives to take care of her, Victoria was sent to the Dunford orphanage. She was already extraordinarily bright before her parents had died and she easily moved through the grades.

From what Kuronue could see, she spent most of her time studying while at the orphanage, trying to rid her mind of the pain of loss with mental stimulation. It was the way she dealt with the death of her parents, a better way then some, he must admit. But this left her very lonely. Away from her own peers and mentally tormenting herself for the loss of her own parents, she drew herself into a tiny, dark corner in her mind, and stayed there, all alone.

She kept to her own fantasy world most of the time. Reading books of demons, dragons, and knights in shining armor seemed to have kept her fragile, child mind intact, and functional until she became downright forgetful of her past and opted to stare at the clouds, making herself immune to everything, and everyone around her.

But when Kuronue entered her life that seemed to change. She had someone to talk to, someone to hold on to, and someone that, even in a tiny sense, was like her. He had to admit, it must have been from the unconsciousness of both being inhuman that drew them together. Both knowing they could never fully fit in with everyone else, but maybe with each other.

As his relationship with Victoria strengthened, so did his relationship with his parents. His mother had always been someone he looked up to for dealing with him. His father was now bearable, not forcing him to do anything for he thought his son to be 'normal' and that it would all work out in the end.

It was all starting to fall together… until IT happened.

He was in his last period of the day when he was called out of class. The halls were deathly quiet and Kuronue felt a sense of foreboding come over him.

Walking into the white walled office he had been in so many times, Kuronue could see the pity in the office lady, Dolores's, face. With out much word, the elderly lady brought Kuronue into the principals office.

The principal, an old, grizzled man, held the same expression as Dolores. Sadness swirled within his eyes. Looking back at Dolores as she left, Kuronue took a shaky seat in front of his principal.

"Lucius Penn"

"Yes Mr. Rune" Kuronue answered a bit wearily.

"There been an accident"

"What?"

"Your parents were involved in a car crash this afternoon. We were alert of this a few minutes ago"

Kuronue's mind blanked. 'Moms dead?'

The thought echoed in his mind. He didn't give a shit about that father of his, but mother… mother was gone.

Kuronue started to feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

"But… but…"

"Shush. Its ok. Just let it all out" Kuronue felt a hand on his shoulder. When Mr. Rune had gotten behind him, he didn't know, but right now, he didn't care.

One of the only people he cared about had died… and it was ripping him apart. First, it was his demon mother, then Youko and now his human mother. What would he lose next?

As the lone bat demon cried, time seemed to flow by. For once in his life, he struggled to think of anything at all. Everything meshed in an array of sadness and before he knew it, school had ended, and Mr. Rune was trying to get him to stand up. Kuronue could make out the words, "take you to your new home". The bat didn't even bother quirking an eyebrow but opted to sullenly follow his principal out of his office. Walking out into the main office, Kuronue almost felt mocked by the happy yellow coloring of the walls. Bumping into Mr. Rune, Kuronue looked up to see a new man in front of him. Though, the uniform he was adorned with suddenly made everything clear.

Kuronue had no other relatives in this human world. It seemed that his grand parents on his father's side had died a very long time ago; His father had been an only child and his mother estranged from her family. There were almost no records of her past whatsoever.

This left the city of Dunford no choice but to send him to the orphanage: the same one as Victoria.

The police officer that was assigned obviously to pick Kuronue up, gave the bat a comforting smile before escorting him out of the building. Kuronue could briefly hear the officer talk about taking him to his house to get his things before being transported to his new home. 'A place for lost children', he thought to himself, numbness starting to overrun his emotions.

As he plopped down onto the backseat of the police car, Kuronue realized the special treatment he was getting, having a police officer take him home and all. His father had been a rich and powerful member of the community, and being his only heir, Kuronue was being treated nicely.

"You would think being from such a rich family, you would go to a private school?" Kuronue heard the officer say to him from the front seat.

"My father didn't like to spend money on something so expensive when he could get it free" was Kuronue's answer. His father was quite the cheapskate. That was probable why he was considered so highly of. He guarded his money so carefully; it always looked like he was bountiful in everything. Maybe that's why he wished his own son to be such a genius. Kuronue wasn't quite sure.

It was strange, Kuronue mused, as they stopped in front of his home of ten years. He had never felt this sort of sadness in his demon life. 'Maybe this human body is finally getting the best of me', he thought bitterly. Getting out the car, Kuronue walked to the porch only to realize it would be the last time. It saddened him slightly. Even if the inside of his house held dark secrets, the yard was what Kuronue considered his light. It was like a tiny forest for just himself.

Tearing his eyes from the trees, Kuronue walked inside, and up the spiral staircase to his room.

It wasn't very large, and Kuronue only picked up the essentials. He may be a kid on the outside, but he was a demon on the inside, and very few personal possessions made it to his heart.

Taking his small suitcase and a backpack, Kuronue walked down the stairs to where the cop was. From where he stood, at the foot of the steps, Kuronue could tell the officer was deeply engrossed in something. He was looking into a full, manila folder, slowly turning the pages as his eyes moved in rapid succession down the page. He seemed to be trying to speed read, his brow starting to gleam with sweat.

With a quirked eyebrow, Kuronue started to wonder of he was supposed to be reading that folder. Moving to the feet of the police officer, Kuronue tried to put on his most innocent face before saying, "Um. Sir. I am ready to leave"

The officer looked like he just about had a heart attack where he stood, juggling the folder in his hands for a moment before looking down at him. The man gave Kuronue a good glare before closing the folder. Kuronue smirked to himself. He sure did fluster the man. Telling the bat to get into the car, Kuronue ran ahead of him, a devious smile planted on his face.

The ride to the orphanage was uneventful. After his little trick on the officer, Kuronue felt himself falling even deeper into sadness. It was like the little moment of twisted fun let him know how truly affected he was by the death of his human parents. Trying to clear his thought, Kuronue stared out the window, never truly paying attention to where they were headed.

When the car stopped, Kuronue let his human eyes focus upon his surroundings. He was downtown, that much was sure. He may have only been down to this side of town once, but he remembered quite enough of it to know where he was. Lots of cars, even more people, litter everywhere, and half dead trees.

'Urg. Now I have to live in the city. Disgusting', Kuronue thought to himself before blinking in surprise. "When did I become so cynical" he furrowed his brow in thought, slightly worried about this new habit. Waiting for the officer to open up the door, the bat once again looked around. This was the part of downtown Kuronue had never seen before. It was probable the part his father didn't agree with, and just by looking at it, the bat could tell why. His father was a very cleanly man, and as the bat let his eyes scan over the area, he could see a century worth of filth glazing the surface of the cobble stone road. This must have been the older part of Dunford, the bat concluded, looking at the decaying buildings, covered in dead ivy and moss.

'Uh. Youko would have a fit if he ever saw these plants and the way these humans treated them', Kuronue mused to himself. Looking at the building before him, Kuronue sickeningly felt that this was probable where they were dropping him off. It was an old building, just like the rest, made of red brick. The front window looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a long while, dust and grime clinging to the glass. The sign looked older than his own father was, the paint cracked and faded to a point of illegible, the wood looked just about ready to disintegrate in the next soft breeze.

Just then, the face of the police officer came to his window, with a large encouraging yet forced smile on his face. Letting his brown eyes droop to the car handle, the man opened the bats door. Reaching back for his bags, Kuronue jumped from the car, letting his bright red sneakers rest in the grime. "Yuck', he said out loud, sticking out his tongue in disdain.

"Yeah, yeah. Come on Mr. Penn", the officer said, taking the bat by the hand and leading him up to the door. With a scowl on his face, Kuronue followed.

After a quick knock, the officer pushed the doors in, pulling Kuronue through the large, old oak frame. On the inside was a moderately lit waiting room. The walls we done up with what seemed to be semi fresh wallpaper, green in color. On the right were two large couches; a red one with its back pressed up to the window and a blue one placed perpendicular to the first, with it's back placed to the other wall. There was an old portrait, hung behind the second couch. It was yellow with age and torn slightly on the bottom right corner, though from where Kuronue stood, he could not tell what was pictured in the frame. Ahead was a small desk with no one seated behind it, yet Kuronue could he the sound of someone talking behind the only other door in the room, which happened to be placed behind the desk.

Letting go of Kuronue's hand, the officer walk to the other door, firmly knocking on the wood before stepping back. The noise behind the door stopped for a brief second before it was busted open. From behind the door walk in a middle aged woman, he hair was done up in a high bun and her face scrunched up with a bit of a bitter scowl on them. She had her nose held high in an aristocratic way, as if she held herself better than most. She wore a long black dress with a v shaped collar and a billowing bottom.

Kuronue felt himself snorting in his head. ' I hate to tell you this lady but you work at an orphanage. You aren't no duchess', the bat thought to himself, a glimmer of laughter starting to find itself in his eyes.

Ahead of him, the woman stopped at the desk, beckoning the officer forward before taking a seat.

"May I help you sir", the woman spoke, in a high pitched yet slightly snooty way, as she eyes the officer with a bit of distain.

'So you don't like policemen huh? I guess your aren't just another rich wannabe. You aren't sucking up to the law'. Kuronue was starting to lighten up to this lady. If you are against the law, then you're a friend of his; at least, that was what his motto was, back in the old days. With a slight smirk forming on his face, the bat stood back, waiting to see what the officer would do.

The police office was kind in returned, even if it looked a little forced. Clearing his throat, he responded with a, " Well, Madam, I have a orphan who is to be put in your care", he spoke, motioning for Kuronue to come forward. Looking past the officer, the Madam looked the bat over before turning back to the officer. " I am guessing that he was not supposed to be put up for adoption originally," she questioned.

"No. It's been a little rushed today, and he doesn't have anywhere else to go. Truly, it's only been a few hour since he became an orphan, but… um… here's his paperwork", the man held out the stuffed, manila folder from before. Taking the folder from his extend hand, the woman proceeded to shift through the contents.

"Thank you. You may go now", she spoke without even looking up.

"Are you sure", the officer asked, slightly confused at the sudden dismissal.

"Yes, I'm sure. Thank you for bringing Mr. Penn today officer, and I hope you have no need to stop by again, unless adoption is on your mind", the woman stated, not a hint of malice in her harsh word.

With a slightly flustered look on his face, the officer warily made his way to the door. He looked back one more time before leaving, a bit of a jumpy quality in his step.

Kuronue watched didn't bother to watch him leave before turning his attention to the 'Madam' in front of him. Waiting for her to speak, Kuronue went to take a seat on the red couch by the window.

"And where to you think your going… Lucius is it?"

Kuronue turned around to look at the woman. Her earlier expression of coldness had melted away into a stern yet warm smile.

"Yes. Lucius it is. And I was just going to wait for you call upon me", he answered truthfully.

"Ah. What a nice gentleman. Now cut the act", she said with a smirk.

Kuronue couldn't help the shock to filter onto his face. "But Madam. I-"

"Now don't play coy with me. Victoria has told us much about you Lucius Penn, so there is no need to act like an angle in this house,"

Getting up the woman walked around the desk toward Kuronue. Coming down onto one knee, she put a hand on the young boys shoulder, a calming warmth radiating off of her person.

"All we need, is for Lucius to act like, oh, what is the name Vicky said you liked to go by"

Kuronue laugh at the little name the Madam had given to Victoria. With a smile spread on his face, he answered the Madams question. "Kuronue?"

"Yes. Kuronue. And you can call me Marly. Now, why don't we go back to rooms and give Vicky a nice surprise"

With a devious look in his young eyes, Kuronue picked up his thing to follow the Madam.

'Maybe it wont be so hard this time', he thought, letting himself be softly tugged into the open door.

What did you think? Good? Bad?

Sorry for the slow update. (I have a tendency to get a horrible case of the writer block. That and I have writers ADD. Cant seemed to keep still when I'm writing. To many ideas a-flowing. Hehe.)

THANK YOU!