"Hey, let's go somewhere together." Ari said, randomly. "All of us."
"Does that include us? It'd better." Koenma asked, from behind them.
Ari grinned. "Of course." She turned and looked. Kazuka, Ayla, and Koenma were standing there.
"You four were gonna go off on some great adventure, and leave us behind?" Kazuka grinned.
"Well, not quite an adventure." Ayla cut in. "But they were gonna go off and leave us? I don't think so."
"How'd you three get away?" Artemis asked.
"We did the same thing you two did." Koenma said, looking shocked.
"Lie." Kazuka filled in.
Kiri laughed. "Way to go!"
"If my father finds out, I will be in a very big amount of trouble, but I can't just sit on display every day! I need to move, to grow, to have fun, and he needs to see that." Ayla frowned.
"My father needs to trust me." Kiri cut in bitterly.
"My father just needs to realize I'm alive." Artemis sighed. "And my mother to realize I'm a person."
"My father needs to lighten up." Koenma sighed. "I'm gonna be ruler of spirit world one day; I need to go out and see what I'm gonna rule. I need hands-on learning instead of sitting there every minute of my free life going over maps. And being told how to rule."
Kazuka was silent. "My father needs to realize I'm tougher than he thinks. And if I'm not, I have you all."
"I'll eat to that." Kiri said, seriously.
"What?" Everyone asked, looking at him.
Kiri laughed. "Whatever, let's go. To where? Hionds City? Nokenis Villa?"
"Let's just go exploring through the forests." Chetara suggested. "Less chance of you all being spotted."
"Alright!" Kazuka cheered.
"Good idea." Kiri nodded.
"Let's go." Koenma nodded. Ayla smiled then.
"Sounds like fun!" Ayla grinned, once she'd heard Koenma say he wanted to go. Koenma smiled at her, and she blushed.
"Let's zip." Kiri nodded. There was a silence.
"Ningen phrase?" Artemis frowned. "I haven't heard that one..."
"It's not a ningen phrase, I made it up. Can't I make up my own sayings? Come on!" Kiri grinned, taking off for the forest. The group followed.
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Later that night, the group stood at a crossways, that each path led to a different one of their houses.
"See you all tomorrow?" Koenma asked, grinning. "This was so much fun, I didn't even know a tree could do that."
"Oh, they can do all sorts of things." Kiri grinned. "And tomorrow it is. We'll meet at Ari and Chetara's treehouse."
"Night everyone." Ayla smiled. She paused and said quietly, "Night, Koenma."
"Night, Ayla." Koenma grinned, then left. Ayla left too. Kazuka said goodbye and left then, too.
"Uh, goodnight, Artemis." Ari blushed. "Night, Kiri."
"Night." Kiri nodded. "Good night, Chetara."
"See you, Kiri." Chetara smiled.
"Tomorrow, Ari." Artemis grinned, backing down the road to his house. He waved his arms goodbye to them, and Kiri chased after Artemis.
Ari watched Artemis leave, blushing. Chetara watched Kiri leave with a smile.
"We need our sleep, don't we, Ari?" Chetara grinned. "Come on, we'll see them tomorrow."
"Yeah..." Ari nodded, but didn't start back until Artemis faded from view.
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That night, Artemis slid into his seat at the table.
"Hello, Artemis. Do you plan on eating NOW or do I set the table for two?" Mukuro frowned.
"Oh, no, I'm starving, mom." Artemis grinned.
"Good." Mukuro set three plates of food down. Artemis ate his in a whirlwind. Hiei gaped, for a second then coughed.
"...you must be very hungry." He frowned. "I've never seen a plate of Mukuro's food go down so fast."
She glared. Artemis chuckled. "I haven't eaten all day."
"Speaking of eating, I am cutting YOU off." Mukuro said coldly to Hiei, marching out. Artemis chuckled and shook his head, and Hiei chased after Mukuro, hoping to soothe her wrath. Artemis wondered if all people started out similar to him and Ari and then changed into the kind of relationship Hiei and Mukuro had. It was an unsettling thought. Eventually, he couldn't stomach any more of the food, and he went to bed.
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"..." Yukina watched Kazuka eat.
"You must be really hungry." Kuwabara commented. "That's uh...your mom's meatloaf."
Yukina frowned. "What's wrong with my meatloaf?"
"Nothing, Yukina, my love." Kuwabara tried to make amends.
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Ayla tore into her food as well. Kayko insisted that they spend "quality time" at dinner, talking about their day. Ayla was far too busy eating to talk, however.
"Dear, are you alright? You're not talking much..." Kayko asked.
"I'm too hungry." Ayla muttered, through huge mouthfuls.
"You're just like your father!" Kayko exclaimed. "No manners."
"What's this about my daughter not having manners?" Yusuke asked, dropping into his seat, and heaving forkfuls into his own mouth.
"I haven't eaten all day." Ayla muttered.
Yusuke choked. "Uh... Kayko, is this a new recipe?"
"Yes, why? What's wrong with it?" Kayko asked, turning defensive.
"Nothing, I love it." Yusuke muttered.
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Koenma ate like all his friends, only in his study. His teacher was teaching him how to draw maps just by checking out the terrain. Koenma was heaving forkfuls into his own mouth, tearing through several plates of his dinner.
"And see this landmark? It would go here...are you listening, Koenma?" His teacher snapped.
"No." Koenma muttered, over mouthfuls.