Welcome all to the second chapter of Black Sheep :D Before I go on with this chapter I'd like to thank the people who reviewed after the first chapter :D Your comments were kind and I really appreciate the input. So a bunch of thanks and imaginary cookies to xEpIcxXxfAiLx and to the anonomous reviewer (i don't know what your actual pen name is but this is what you put Thanks either way!) BlindWind. Thanks so much to both of you! And thanks for all of you who have read the story so far. Please feel free to review (that's me begging for reviews :D I do that) anything that you think needs improvement (storyline, grammar, keeping them in-character etc etc) i appreciate you taking the time to tell me what you think of it..
Ah- That's too much intro- Please enjoy the next chapter! :D
"So where the hell is this escort?" Yusuke grumbles impatiently, waiting with the rest of his comrades in front of Kuwabara's house for the escort that is supposed to take them to their next case.
"Be patient Yusuke," Kurama frowns.
"Yea surprisingly enough you showed up early Urameshi," Kuwabara smirks, slinging a duffel bag over his shoulder.
"Yea whatever," Yusuke growls, "I'm still not happy about this."
"There'll be plenty of summer left after this case Urameshi," Kuwabara grins and tries to crack a joke, "And she's probably around our age if she has powers right? It won't be so bad. She might be cute."
Yusuke smirks, "Ah-well that wouldn't make Keiko happy at all."
"Well then maybe Hiei could take her," Kuwabara grins, obviously joking, "he needs a girl to change that punk attitude of his….I mean it works on any guy, My Dear Love Yukina surely changed-"
A rock collides with the back of Kuwabara's head before he can finish his love-rant.
"Hey Hiei," Yusuke smirks without looking behind him.
Sure enough, when Kuwabara turns around, sputtering in surprise and anger, Hiei is glaring down at him from the branches of a close by tree.
"YOU LITTLE RAT! GET DOWN HERE SO I CAN CLOBBER YOU!"
Another rock collides with Kuwabara's forehead. Hiei starts to smirk.
"You shouldn't talk. It makes you look bad," Hiei's crimson eyes flash in irritation.
Kurama steps between the two of them, ready to stop another pointless fight, "It's not wise for us to be arguing before a mission."
Kuwabara ignores him, "WHAT ARE YOU SMIRKING ABOUT? I'LL KILL YOU! YOU JUST WAIT I'M GONNA-"
Yusuke delivers a right hook to the back of Kuwabara's head and Kuwabara's face hits the ground and Yusuke yells at him, "JUST SHUT UP!"
"URAMESHI YOU ASS HOLE!" Kuwabara picks himself up and takes Yusuke by the collar.
Kurama sighs, leaning against a building's brick wall; he looks up at Hiei, "Was all that really necessary?"
"The oaf shouldn't speak about things he doesn't understand," Hiei growls, tired of hearing Kuwabara talking about Yukina.
"You prefer that this happens instead?" Kurama frowns, pointing at their two comrades. Yusuke and Kuwabara are grappling with each other, Yusuke has his right arm wrapped about Kuwabara's neck and Kuwabara is pulling Yusuke's slicked back hair. Both of them are yelling unintelligible and profane things that make some people turn their heads to see who is killing who.
"I do have other ways to silence that fool," Hiei grins, and mischief glows in his crimson eyes, he pats the hilt of his hidden sword and Kurama shakes his head.
Suddenly, someone taps on Kurama's shoulder, he looks over and Keiko smiles at him pleasantly, "Hello Kurama."
Kurama smiles back at her, "Hello Keiko. What are you doing here?"
Keiko smiles, "Well I was just going out with Shizuru for lunch. We heard Yusuke and Kuwabara fighting so we decided we should see what's going on."
Sure enough, Shizuru comes up behind Keiko, glancing to her brother, "What the hell are they doing?"
"Well you see, we're going on a trip soon," Kurama lies smoothly, Keiko and Shizuru have yet to find out about The Spirit World, or Yusuke's activities as Spirit Detective, "and they seem to be having a heated….argument."
"Looks more like a wrestling match," Shizuru frowns, taking a drag from her cigarette.
"I can't seem to break it up," Kurama frowns at the two boys.
"Oh, I'm sure I can help you there," Keiko smiles sweetly and glares at Yusuke, her voice turns sour, "Yuuusukeeee."
"Kazuma," Shizuru frowns at them too.
Keiko's face grows red when Yusuke ignores her, "YUSUKE URAMESHI!" She grabs Yusuke by the back of his shirt and pulls him away from Kuwabara.
"What the hell Keiko?" Yusuke growls.
"YOU IDIOT! COULD YOU STOP ACTING LIKE A CHILD IN PUBLIC?" she slaps him across the face, "And listen to Kurama dammit, he helped you when you were hurt after that horrible accident with the hypnotized thugs."
"Hypnotized thugs?" Hiei smirks, looking to Kurama.
Kurama shrugs, "We had to give her some explanation after The Saint Beasts' Makai insects didn't we?"
"Dammit Keiko that HURT!" Yusuke growls. Keiko raises her hand up again to slap him. He cringes and rubs his cheek, "Alright! Alright! I'm done kicking Kuwabara's ass."
Kuwabara starts to laugh, "Oh Urameshi you're so tough!" he smirks sarcastically, "I can't believe you gave in to your girlfriend like that. Boy has she got you whi-OOOOWWW!"
In the midst of his sentence, Shizuru had taken hold of her younger brother's ear and pulled as hard as she could without ripping the ear from the side of his hard head.
"Kazuma what have I told you about ignoring your older sister? And would you stop acting like a little kid in public?" she yanks his ear even harder, and Kuwabara yowls in pain.
"Lemme go Sis! Lemme go!"
"Only after you apologize," she frowns.
"I'm sorry I'm sorry!" Kuwabara grimaces and Shizuru releases his ear with a satisfied smirk, "Good boy." She coos.
"Thank you Keiko," Kurama nods bemusedly, "Thank you Shizuru."
"Any time," Keiko giggles, "You said you're going on a trip together right? We have to get going but I hope you have fun."
"Oh," Kurama smirks, glancing briefly at his companions, "I think we can try."
"Yusuke," Keiko smiles warningly at him, "Behave alright? I'll see you when you get back."
"Alright," Yusuke smirks, "Sheesh, I can't tell if you're threatening me or not."
"You too little bro," Shizuru nods at her brother before walking off at Keiko's side, "Behave."
"Yea, yea," Kuwabara grunts and looks away, "Don't burn the house down Sis."
Almost as soon as the girls are out of sight, a black, expensive looking car pulls up in the street beside them.
"Well, if that's not ominous to be our ride," Yusuke smirks, "I don't know what is."
A driver steps out of the car, he faces the boys, his hair is snow white, and his face looks tired. He must be a hired chauffer.
"Are you Yusuke Urameshi? Kazuma Kuwabara? Hiei Jaganshi? And Youko Kurama?"
"We are," Kurama takes a step forward, swinging his bag over his shoulder, giving the driver a wary look.
"Please come with me," the driver nods politely, "I am your escort to your next case."
"Alright then," Yusuke smirks, "Shall we boys?"
"Hn," Hiei growls, jumping from the tree and walking to their sides.
"I got a bad feeling Urameshi," Kuwabara frowns, his face suddenly serious.
"Hmm Well Kuwabara I wonder if it's because we're going a blind hunt for a soul sucking demon? Or maybe the drivers just too creepy for you?" Yusuke smirks, his eyes flashing with humor.
"Shaddup Urameshi I can handle it! I just…had a bad feeling for YOU that's all."
"Let's not waste time," Kurama frowns, opening the car's doors.
It's a long, six hour drive to the aristocrat-filled town. Everything is silent all the while; nobody speaks, because Kuwabara had been right, there's an ominous feeling hanging in the air. Something that's telling them to be careful.
Especially when they saw the driver. Not that he was the source. But the weary look on his face seemed almost……frightened. It looks like this man lives every day in fear.
"Sir," Kurama finally speaks up, "Could you tell us something about this Alice girl?"
"Miss Alice is….a kind girl under very unfortunate circumstances."
"That explanation sucks," Yusuke smirks, "I know you have a better one."
"You'll find everything out when we arrive Mr. Urameshi," the driver nods politely, "It's difficult to describe Miss Alice to a stranger."
"We'll wait then," Kurama gives the driver a polite nod.
They eventually pull into a large, rich looking town. With towering mansions and extravagant looking lawns.
"Nearby is a city where the families that live here go to when they need to shop or go out for dinner.
It's fairly quiet town with expensive house after expensive house.
"I can only assume that the families that live here are prominent in the business world?" Kurama says knowingly, seeing the name of an expensive electronics brand on a very large metal gate.
"Rich people," Yusuke snorts, "they annoy the hell outta me. But I have to say. They sure know how to live."
"Ditto Urameshi," Kuwabara grins, "I didn't know houses come this big!"
"We're here," the driver announces quietly, pulling through a metal gate and into the driveway of a spotless white mansion. The yard is huge, a garden is included and when the boys get out, they can hear a little girl singing an old nursery rhyme.
"Baa Baa Black Sheep have you any wool?" The boys look to see a little girl, with a maid by her side. Playing on a swing, singing.
"Yes sir, yes sir three bags full!" she keeps singing, looking up at the boys with curious blue eyes, her long black hair swinging with her as she's swaying back and her white sundress blows with the wind every time she goes back and forth.
"One for the master, one for the dame, and one for the little boy living down the lane," she finishes her song and she looks to each of the boys with childlike curiosity. She doesn't look very old, maybe ten or eleven.
"Excuse me Miss," Kurama smiles gently, "Are you Alice?"
The girl's blue eyes widen, and she smiles, "No. No I'm not Alice, that's my sister. I'm Christy."
"Miss Christina," the driver comes up behind them, looking gently at the little girl, "I'll be showing these boys to your sister's room shortly. This is-"
"I'm Kazuma Kuwabara," Kuwabara interrupts him, looking down at the girl.
"Yusuke Urameshi."
"Please call me Kurama," Kurama nods, "nice to meet you Miss Christina."
"Call me Christy," the girl smiles sweetly.
"My name's Hiei," Hiei doesn't look even a tiny bit interested in the child.
"Now I'll show you to the room of Miss Alice, come-"
"No need," Christy smiles enthusiastically, "I'll show them. Come! Come! You can meet Alice with me!"
"But Miss Christina-"
Christy smiles sweetly up at the driver, and tugs on Yusuke's sleeve, "Let's go! We can all play games together!"
"But Miss Christina you can't-"
"I'll race you!" Christy smiles and takes off running.
"I've always been competitive," Yusuke smirks, and runs after her, Kuwabara runs after them too.
"Idiots," Hiei sighs, him and Kurama exchange a weary look and run after them as well.
The driver's usual frown deepens and runs (not nearly as quickly) after them, "Miss Christina can never enter Miss Alice's room!"
Christy reaches her sister's door and looks behind her, all of the boys followed her easily, watching her intently, and "This is Alice's room. Want to meet her?"
Kurama nods gently, "Thank you Christy."
She knocks on the door, "Alice! Alice! It's me! You have visitors here! They're a bunch of boys."
She opens the door and runs in with a huge smile on her face, "Won't it be fun to play with them all?"
A quiet voice comes from inside the room as the boys walk in, "Christy. Didn't Kureno say that you can't be in here with me?"
The boys look in with intent stares. Christy is smiling up at another girl.
Another…..little girl. Who looks just like Christy. The girl has the same blue eyes and long, stick straight raven hair. She looks at her sister with a sad, but somewhat happy expression.
"You're…..Alice?" Kurama's emerald eyes widen with surprise.
The girl looks to the boys, her blue eyes seem……sad. She's holding a rather large doll, which actually looks similar to the twins. Marble blue eyes and black hair.
"I am," she says in a quiet voice, she doesn't seem the least bit child-like, other than her apparent looks.
"You're…..Twins?"
"Yes!" Christy smiles, "Alice these are the boys that are here to help you!"
Alice's blue eyes look to each of the boys one by one curiously.
"I'm Alice," she nods, "And-"
"Miss Christina! Miss Christina!" the old driver comes running through the room. He runs past the boys and scoops up little Christy in his arms. Alice's deep blue eyes flare with anger and Christy automatically starts to kick in refusal.
"Miss Christina," the driver pants, exhausted from running, his voice is rough, "you know you cannot enter Miss Alice's room!"
Christy continues to kick, "But you never let me see Alice! I wanna play with her! Let me go! Let me see my sister!"
"Stop it Christy," Alice's voice turns cold and Christy immediately stops.
Christy looks at her with her large blue eyes, "Alice?"
"Listen to Mr. Kasanada," Alice's voice, though it sounds like a child's voice, her words and her eyes seem aged, cold and broken.
"But Alice, they never let me see you," Christy's voice sounds sad and she reaches her hand out to Alice. Alice nods and takes it.
"I don't want you to get hurt. So just wait a little bit longer okay Christy? We'll play when all the monsters are gone."
"Okay," Christy nods, and Mr. Kasanada (A.K.A the driver) lets her down. Taking her hand and leading her out of the room.
Mr. Kasanada nods to the boys, "I'll leave you here to be acquainted and any questions you have left, please come to me and I'll take you to their Uncle, the current head of the house."
"Thank you Mr. Kasanada," Kurama nods. Throwing a wary glance to the strange girl.
The door clicks shut behind the boys and for awhile, silence sinks into the room.
"You know when I pictured you, I imagined you to be…." Yusuke smirks, looking for the right word.
"Older?" Alice asks, holding her doll closer to her chest, she has a sundress similar to her sister's but it's a deep red, "I'm sorry to disappoint you. Are you the men that the monsters sent?"
"No."
"Then you have to leave," Alice frowns.
"Why is that?" Kurama asks, looking intently at the girl. Alice looks out the window with a sad and serious expression over her young face.
"Do you know why they won't let my sister come in here? Do you know why Mr. Kasanada was so hasty to leave my room?" Her blue eyes look vexed and somewhat angry.
Hiei answers this time, "Because the demons track you by your scent, anything that smells remotely like you is a walking target."
"Y'know she is just a kid," Yusuke frowns at Hiei, "Could you not act like a jackass?"
"Child or not," Hiei frowns, "I'm not going to sugar coat things for her."
"Then you understand why you should leave," Alice's eyes narrow.
"We can't do that exactly," Yusuke says with a smirk, "see we came here to get rid of the demons that are after you. We're the good guys I swear."
The frigid glare doesn't leave the girl's blue eyes.
"Come on," Yusuke smirks, "you don't want to play all alone do ya?" Yusuke walks up to the girl, "I'm Yusuke Urameshi. Spirit Detective."
The girl looks from Yusuke and back to his friends.
"Who are all of you?" the girl shifts her doll to the other arm.
"You can call me Kurama."
"Hiei."
"Kuwabara."
Alice's eyes falls on Kurama and Hiei, her blue eyes become even colder, "You two are monsters."
"They're on our side," Yusuke smirks, "They won't hurt you or your sister."
"Koenma was right," Kurama frowns, "This girl is talented."
"What's wrong with that Kurama?" Kuwabara asks, his voice slightly hushed.
"Often when young children find themselves with great powers and no proper teacher. . . . Problems can develop."
"Aw come on that can't always be true. I've had powers ever since the third grade and look at me now," Kuwabara grins.
"I see your point Kurama," Hiei smirks, looking to Kuwabara, "but are they always mental deficiencies or do the problems vary?"
Kuwabara's face grows flushed with anger, "WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY SHORT STUFF?"
"I'm sorry," Hiei looks up, his crimson eyes glowing with humor, "Next time I'll speak slowly. And use fewer words. Will that help Kuwabara?"
"YOU SNOTTY LITTLE RUNT!! I'LL KILL YOU!"