(A/N: Hey all, sorry this took so long, but I've been sick. Check out the notes at the end if you get confused anywhere! Enjoy!)
"All rise…and bow."
All thirty-two students complied with the class reps demand and bowed deeply to their sensei, the bell signaling their freedom ringing loudly in their ears as they rose upward.
"Have a good day everyone." Kamiyama-sensei, a man of twenty-two years called genially as his students scurried out of the class room.
Keiko sighed, unable to believe that the events of that day had been real. First, Jin and flown in with a most unwillingly Touya (gets airsick) and Chuu for a visit as Yusuke was too busy with home studies to give them the attention they felt they deserved.
Then came Suzuki and Shishiwakamaru, who, upon hearing Keiko attended an all-girls school, jumped at the idea of ningen girls fawning over them and immediately followed after Chuu and Jin.
This meant that poor Keiko was left to baby-sit the four with a chibified Juhyou Tsukai, who was far less intimidating than usual given his current stature.
She just thanked all the gods she knew of that Yoru had classes on the opposing side of the school as herself; after yesterday's debacle, Keiko knew the girl would blow her top.
"Oi lassie!" Jin called loudly, flying in through an open window after he thought the coast was clear, "Where ya be off t' now?"
"Home." Keiko replied tiredly as Chuu, an apologetic looking Touya on his shoulders, Suzuki and Shishiwakamaru climbed through the window after the Kaze Tsukai, "I've got a mountain of homework…why?"
"…paperwork as tall as a foothill?" Suzuki asked, looking interested, "You mean your workload resembles that of Koenma-daioh's?"
"Noooo It's just an expression!" Keiko groaned, massaging her temples, "And anyway, I was going to ask Yoru if she needed anything from the store, but she's probably left by n-"
"Wait just a moment, Yukimura-san." Touya interrupted, an inquisitive look breeching his face, "You mean Yamina…I mean Yoru-san goes to this school too?"
"Yes." Keiko replied with a sigh, continuing to walk towards the school gates where hopefully Yusuke would be waiting to liberate her of these nuisances, "She goes here. Her classes are just on the opposite side of the school."
"Well, looky here. There she goes, mates" Chuu remarked offhandedly, pointing out the window.
It was true; Yoru was skating away from the school grounds, earphones plugged into her cell, singing very loudly as she went, totally oblivious to the fact that she was being stared at by people on the street and watched by youkai since she was in Happy Headphone Land.
"She gave you everything she haaad…but she was young and dumb, she'd just turned twen-ty-one!" she sang, switching along so she glided along backwards, "She didn't care to hang a-rounnnd…so when the shit came down, why she was nowhere to be found!"
"Didn't know she was into American bands." Keiko remarked as Yoru rounded a corner, out sight, but not out of ear range as she broke into the chorus, "Wonder what has her in such a peppy moody?"
"She's going to visit Yuhi." Yusuke replied, throwing an arm around her shoulders as she arrived at the gate.
Noting the look of overwhelming relief she gave him at the sight of his face, he turned to the youkai and sighed, "Alright, whaddid you do?"
"They were their usual, psychotically aggravating selves." Touya muttered from his spot on Chuu's shoulder, "Yukimura-san almost got…what was that thing called again?"
"A double detention." Keiko sighed wearily, causing the Reikai Tantei's eyebrows to shoot up into his hairline, "Enjoji-sensei caught Jin and Chuu peeping in the locker rooms and thought I was mixed up in the whole mess when I yelled out their names while shooing them off."
Yusuke gave Chuu and Jin critical looks, both of whom were whistling in a not-so-innocent way and twiddling their thumbs.
"See anything good?" he asked to be smack upside the head by his girlfriend and Touya, "ITAI! Jeez! It was just a question! Anyway, what else happened, I can tell by the look on your face there was more."
"Oh yes, that's right." Touya sighed tiredly, slumping forward out of a mixture of exasperation and exhaustion, "Suzuki and Shishiwakamaru were labeled as potential sexual predators when they kept popping around the school grounds to hit on the student body."
Yusuke shot a look at Shishi and Suzuki, shaking his head in apology at Keiko.
"I'll take'm next time." He sighed, slinging an arm over her shoulder, "Rain, snow, sleet or slush…I'll take'em."
"…should we go visit Yuhi as well?" Keiko asked, eyeing the youkai over her shoulder, "I mean, you know how much Yoru's put off by men...and to have them all there?"
"Do you really trust them to be alone in your house?" Yusuke asked seriously, causing Keiko to pale from alarm.
"To the hospital gents!" she called a bit more loudly than necessary, causing Jin to wince.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Touya murmured cryptically, "Maybe we shouldn't g-"
"NONSENSE, BOY-A!" Chuu boomed raucously, making Jin's hands fly to his ears and for the wind imp to glare tearfully at the mohawked youkai, "She'll be right glad t' see us!"
"Is it necessary for you to be so brash?" Shishiwakamaru snorted pompously as they walked along, "The ningen populous is staring-"
"-atcher ugleh mug." Jin ground out irritably, massaging his throbbing ears piteously, "Honestleh Shishi, geddover yerself."
"Whoa!" Touya yelped suddenly from Chuu's Shoulder, bringing the group to an abrupt halt as his body began glowing again. Knowing what was about to happen, Chuu tossed the Juhyou Tsukai a little more forcibly than needed onto the pavement as he reverted to normal.
"…was that really necessary, Chuu?" Touya muttered coolly, clamoring to his feet, catching sight of himself in a puddle and inwardly smiling: he was himself again.
"Good t' have ye' back Toy!" Jin whooped, flying through the air and tackling Touya to the ground.
"Now the ningens are really starting to stare." Shishiwakamaru commented snidely as murmurs and whispers filled the air…as well as giggling and loud snickers.
"Shishi, you're already in hot water for fiddling with the Idunn Box." Suzuki said idly, eyeing a nearby ganguro's practically non-existent skirt, "Not another word out of you."
"Jin…air…need…oxygen…breathe…need...to…" Touya wheezed, beating at the Kaze Tsukai's arms frantically with his fists.
"Wups! Sorreh 'bout thah." Jin replied brightly, releasing his vice like grip and freeing up Touya's windpipe, air rushing in a hoarse gasp.
"Lord, take me now." Keiko moaned as the group finally entered the hospital, under the scrutinizing eyes of the public…all of whom were laughing at them.
"Oneechama!" Yuhi cried happily, ignoring the tubes shoved up his nose lean up to give his elder sibling a hug, "Did you bring my Nintendo Wii?"
"Naturally." Yoru replied, pulling the gaming system out of her bag, "I'll set it up for you, okay?"
"You rock." Yuhi sighed, leaning back against the pillows as she crossed the room to the television, "Honestly…none of the nurses let me do wheelies in my chair. It sucks."
"Well…maybe if you beat me in a couple rounds of Mario Kart, I'll take ya outside." Yoru remarked offhandedly, plugging the necessary connections into the boob tube.
"Now, now…don't make him over exert himself." Miyasu chided from the doorway, coming in to sit on his bedside, "Video games are fine, but don't over do it, please? For me?"
"Okaaaay." Both children sighed, knowing what was coming next.
"Did you bring the third controller?" Miyasu asked innocently, twiddling her thumbs as Yoru smirked and tossed it to her.
"I call Daisy." She said with grin scooting onto the gurney with Yuhi, "Honestly, with all of the graphic upgrades they've made over the years, you'd think they'd add more female characters."
"You always make me be that pink priss, Peach. Hmph." Miyasu pouted, sticking out her lower lip childishly, "No mercy for the ailing I see. Where did I go wrong as kaasan, that my own musume would-"
"Don't you even try t' pull that card Kaachan." Yuhi snickered, thumbing the UP button to prop himself upright, "It's dirty and you know it. 'sides, all's fair in love'n war. I'm Yoshi this round."
The game started up but Miyasu continued to teasingly press the issue.
"But if all's fair in love and war, then why can't I-" she started only to have Daisy cut her off on screen and shoot a flaming turtle shell at her car, "AAUGH! NO!"
"Because it's twisted, mother dear." Yoru replied sweetly, "And if you want to win and ensure the continued health of your musuko, kaasan, you better keep your eyes on the road."
"Yeah, kaachan." Yuhi grinned, passing Yoru on the outside, "Doncha wanna make sure I don't go outside and do doughnuts in the parking lot? Or wheelies in the middle of an inter-"
"STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!" Miyasu screeched, lapping both her children, making both of them temporarily lose focus from sheer astonishment, "Yuhi, if you wanna destroy your chances of getting better? FINE! But, I'm gonna smoke you both!"
"Not even in your dreams!" Yuhi and Yoru snarled back creeping up on her.
"And I will not destroy my chances of getting better by going outside for a bit, Kaachan!" Yuhi snorted as he and his sister were now neck and neck with their mother, "Chill out, Drama Queen!"
"Looks like they're having…fun." Touya remarked as Yoru let loose a very loud, frustrated expletive as Yuhi beat her and she came in a not-so-noticeable second, Miyasu coming in a shameful third and beating the gurney with her fist to vent.
"If you call being totally owned by a ten year old fun, then your ideas of amusement are really twisted." Yusuke said with a wry smile as he pushed open the door, "Hey, how ya doin' shrimp?"
"YUSUKE!" Yuhi cried happily, dropping the remote and wrapping his arms tightly around the older teen's waist as Yoru's mouth formed a small 'o' of surprise…which quickly twisted into a frown at the sight of the five youkai males crammed in the hallway.
"Oh my, so many visitors!" Miyasu said, looking surprised in a good way, as she looked up at the men making their way into her son's room, "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Yusuke's a talker, Yaminade-san." Keiko said bluntly, a faint amount of color tingeing her cheeks, "…so am I, tho'. Gomenasai Yoru-kun."
Yoru choose that moment to switch herself off the gurney and ask in a rather strained voice (trying not to sound pissed), "Hey Yuhi, want me to take you outside now?"
"Do I really need to answer that?" he said dully, lowering the metal wall that prevented him from falling off while he slept, "Yeah, I wanna go out now."
"Careful of your oxygen tubes." Yoru warned, opening up his wheelchair next to bed, "Ready? One-two-three – in ya go."
She easily lifted the gaunt, lanky boy off the bed and into the wheelchair. Hefting his oxygen tank onto the back proved a little more difficult, but with a little maneuvering, she managed.
"Hokay…ready?" Yoru asked as Yuhi situated the blanket around his legs.
"Yup." Yuhi replied as she moved forward, "Let's rock 'n roll!"
"…still angry at the male population in general I see." Miyasu sighed tiredly, flopping down on the gurney, exhaustion now lining her face, "She has to learn that not all men are snakes like her father."
"I feel sorry for her." Yusuke sighed, scratching the back of his head, "Keeping up a level of hatred this deep, for this long? Must be exhausting."
"I can't say that I know." Miyasu muttered, eyes closed, "I tried to let go of that old chestnut…'s hard as that's been given the circumstances."
"How have you been, anyway?" Keiko asked with concern, "You look completely wiped."
"Ah just say it, Kei-chan. I look like I've been rode hard and put away wet." Miyasu grunted, causing Jin, Yusuke and Chuu to snort with laughter.
"In all seriousness, Yaminade-san, are you alright?" Touya asked, his pale face not conveying his actual concern.
"…I'm being admitted this evening to tell you the truth." Miyasu said truthfully, "The doc's are getting' a might worried about my lack of energy so they're going to run a few tests and start me on an IV drip just in case."
"That doesn't sound good." Suzuki remarked, taking a seat in a chair located in the corner of the room.
"That's because it's not." Miyasu retorted dryly, "I'm probably close to relapsing myself and the quacks here are trying to prevent that."
"Well, someone isn't very fond of doctors." Shishiwakamaru snorted from his seat on the window sill.
"Well when ya've bin aroun' as many as this lassie, is realleh n' wonder." Jin shot back, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I can't believe she really didn't come back inside until you guys were gone." Keiko said in disbelief as she chopped some bok choy .
"Well believe it." Yusuke replied, scooping up the diced pieces and dumping them into the stew pot, "Jin watched the hospital from above and until Touya and myself left, Yoru stayed in the garden near the entrance of the building with Yuhi."
"Ah least ee 'ad fun." Jin remark, floating over head and sneaking a bit of pork, "She leddem do all sortsa fun stoof on thah thingamahookie."
"Wheelchair, Jin." Keiko replied, hitting the youkai's hand with a spoon when he attempted to steal another bit of meat, "Yusuke? Thanks for all your help, but I can manage now. Could you please entertain Jin…elsewhere? Please?"
"Alright. Hint taken." Yusuke smirked, popping a bit of carrot into his mouth before Keiko could complain, "C'mon Jin. Let's see what the Kuwabaka and the other's are up to."
No sooner had the two left the kitchen, than screams of, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IDJIT?" "Put that DOWN!" "AUGH! NO!"
Giving into curiosity, Keiko abandoned her cooking and darted into the living room…just as the lid to the 'new and improved' Iduun Box flew open.
"Not again!" Touya spat, punching through a window and diving through as the age altering smoke filled the room.
Landing on his feet, Touya twisted himself around to peek through the window, making sure to keep clear of the smoke that poured through it.
As the haze cleared, Touya allowed himself the luxury of letting his head drop from sheer aggravation.
"What did I ever do to deserve this?" he moaned, letting his forehead thump against the sill in slow succession.
Yoru sat in her living room, rocking her miniature hamster, Bonita, back and forth in her red, plastic hamster ball, reading a three month old copy of Shounen Sunday, when a loud urgent knock came at the door and ended this relatively peaceful moment.
"Hm…whodya think that could be?" Yoru asked of the tiny rodent, whose only response was to roll into the T.V.
Knowing that the little creature wasn't going to provide her with any answers, she marked the page with a pencil and switched herself off the sofa to answer the door.
"Yeah, what - …oh you have got to be shittin' me." Yoru mumbled at a sight she could now only vaguely recollect with the help of some old photos scattered around the house: Keiko and Yusuke, only about four or five years in age…along with five other little boys, all of whom were fighting with one another, and looked strangely familiar.
"Help." Touya murmured listlessly, a pleading edge in his voice.
(1) Cherry Lips - Garbage: the song Yoru's singing as she's skating away; a song about cross-dressing. Very funny in my personal opinon...as well as very catchy. Look it up on YouTube.
(2) Oneechama - an affectionate term for an elder sister.
(3) Nintendo Wii - currently the most advanced gaming system ever created. I'm not sure if it's been brought in from overseas yet though.
(4) Musume - daughter
(5) Kaasan - Mother
(6) Kaachan - Mom
(7) Musuko - son
(8) Bonita the Miniature Hamster - based off my bestest friend's pet hamster. I think it's so cute how the lil' guy rolls around the house in it's little pink hamster ball...but since this is my fic, and I hate pink, I've changed the color. Bonita will be making future appearances people!
(A/N: Seven ankle-biting, kindergarten aged tots are now in Yoru's life...as well as her father...trying to muscle his way back in to her mother's heart. Obviously she needs some help, but how will she have time between school, work and babysitting seven out of control kids? Four of which aren't even HUMAN? R&R!)