I'm happy to announce that there is action in this chapter. Yay! I promised didn't I? Anyway, please enjoy!
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Botan opened the door when she heard Karasu call out "Come in!" She walked into the kitchen, where Karasu was sitting with a cup of coffee and a book. He looked up at her over the pages.
"You're late." She rolled her eyes.
"Only by three minutes." Karasu glanced at his watch.
"Five, actually. You're watch is off."
"Or yours is…" She muttered irritably. Karasu smiled at her.
"Well, you should get yourself ready then. It's going to be a long night." He winked. Botan frowned at him, and indicated to the bag she had dropped onto his kitchen floor.
"Do you have somewhere I could change?" Karasu looked at the bag.
"My room would work, I suppose." He delicately sipped his coffee once more before getting up.
"Follow me." Karasu lead Botan down the hall and into his room. It was fairly large, even the nice apartment, sporting an ornate king sized bed set up in the middle of the room. Other than that, the room was sparsely decorated. Just a painting on the wall and a baroque nightstand on either side of the bed. Botan regarded the bed a little more closely.
"Satin sheets?" She scoffed, turning to him. He gave her an unsavory mischievous grin but didn't answer. Instead, he tuned on the lights (which were very dim).
"I'll be back in five minutes, so make it snappy." He said over his shoulder as he closed the door.
Botan sighed and opened the bag, quickly changing into her black ensemble which consisted of a pair of comfortable pants made out of stretchy denim (for freedom of movement), boots, a tank top, gloves, and, to top it all off: a short cape with a deep cowl.
The door swung open and Karasu sauntered in. Botan whirled on him, an indignant scowl on her pretty face.
"You said five minutes! It's been just over four!" Karasu pouted slightly.
"Did I? Oh well, you seem to be completely dressed, anyway." His tone sounded slightly disappointed, however. He perked up.
"You're ready?" She nodded, and sat down on the bed, waiting for Karasu to open the portal.
When Karasu had told Botan of the bigger portal, she had been expecting one like Oliver had shown her in the park. An actual opening between the two dimensions. This had not been the case.
The portal that Karasu had introduced her too was not a natural one. Karasu had found a place where the dimensional wall that separated Ningenkai and Maikai was very thin. He then used his own spirit energy to cause the wall to become even thinner, effectively opening a rather large portal between the two realms. Botan hadn't taken advantage of the size of portal yet, it was big enough to carry in quite a good deal of loot, but she figured that Karasu would eventually give her a job that would require the portals size.
The only downside to this large portal was that to keep the it open for any prolonged amount of time required an immense amount of powerful spirit energy. And Karasu, despite his own demonic powers, could only keep the portal open for several minutes at a time. Which is why they had developed a system. Karasu opened the portal and let Botan through, and then after a certain amount of time which Botan had decided upon, he would open it again and she would come back. This had worked very well the last two times they had tried it.
"We should synchronize our watches then." Karasu said as he settled himself on the floor. He glanced at Botan over his shoulder. She nodded.
"Eleven thirty." They both set their watches.
"How long until I reopen the portal?" Karasu watched as Botan delicately bit her lip in thought. Delicious.
"About two and a half hours I think. If I'm not there the first time you open it, open it again every fifteen minutes." Karasu narrowed his eyes at her.
"How much energy do you think I have? I may be a demon, but even my spirit energy is not boundless!" Botan glared back at him.
"How badly do you want this artifact?" Karasu sighed, grudgingly. Botan smiled brightly and patted him on the head, not noticing Karasu's shiver and small grin at the contact.
"Don't worry! I should be back well in time for the first opening! The every fifteen minutes is just a precaution."
"Alright, alright! Just try to be back on time. With the artifact." He added warningly. Botan smiled at him again, suddenly in good spirits at the prospect of soon doing what she loved.
"Please. Have I yet to disappoint you?" He looked thoughtful for a moment.
"True…" He turned back around and leaned against the bed. His face became solemn in concentration. Karasu began to glow with an eerie golden light, his hair and cloths blown about in a wind that didn't seem to touch anything else in the room. Soon, there was a small pinprick of light in front of him, which quickly expanded into something the size of a small car. Through it could be seen a room.
Botan hopped off of Karasu's bed. She looked down at him; Karasu's eyes were closed in concentration.
"Two and a half hours." She said again. Karasu nodded slightly to show that he had heard her.
With that, Botan leaped through the portal, into the room beyond.
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Kurama walked down the street to his home. It was raining heavily, but he didn't seem to notice. He had a far off look on his face, and cut quite the figure walking along the sidewalk: Tall, clothes soaked and clinging to his slim form, vivid red hair plastered to his cheeks. Several girls stopped and stared at him as he passed, their mouths hanging open slightly at the sight of this god-like teen.
Kurama noticed, but was to distracted by his own thoughts to even smile politely at them as he walked by, which he normally would have done.
A new thief in Maikai. Interesting. One that was good. So good, in fact, that he was already earning himself a reputation that competed with Kurama's own. Even more interesting.
This new thief was already wanted, and he'd only been steeling for what, two years? Kurama snorted. He'd been steeling fifty years before he gained any fame and recognition! And this new thief was becoming almost as legendary as himself after only two years? Life just wasn't fair.
Kurama stopped as he neared the park and looked up at the sky, droplets of water running down his face. It was really quite a refreshing feeling, being out in the rain like this. After two hours in Koenma's stuffy office, this was really rather… Relaxing. Kurama allowed himself to stand there for a few more minutes, face tilted upward, before he forced himself to continue on.
He stopped suddenly. He was near the park. Hiei. Kurama turned back around, sighing.
Originally, he had intended to invite Hiei over for tea and maybe some video games… But now. Now he had more important things to discuss with Hiei. Kurama jogged back to the park, past the entrance, and stopped.
Kurama walked toward the center of the park, in the direction of large tree that he knew Hiei frequently haunted, hoping to catch him before Hiei made his nightly visit to Genkai's to see his sister, Yukina.
Kurama wasn't disappointed. There Hiei was, lounging on a branch, as soaked as he was. Hiei glanced coolly at Kurama.
"Kitsune. To what do I owe this pleasure?" He asked sarcastically. Kurama looked back at him solemnly.
"I've just gotten back from chatting with Koenma." Hiei sat up.
"…Hn." Kurama rolled his eyes at his responseful friend. Hiei leaped from the branch, landing gracefully in front of Kurama.
"And what did you learn?"
"… Something very interesting." Hiei looked at Kurama, stone faced.
"Thank you so much for enlightening me." Kurama grinned at him.
"There's a new thief in Maikai. A good one." Hiei cocked an eyebrow in interest.
"How good?"
"They're comparing him to me." Hiei's eyes widened.
"That good?"
"Apparently." Hiei regarded Kurama thoughtfully.
"Is that what Koenma was keeping from you?"
"… I think so. He told me he was going to call on me for help to catch this thief, though."
"Hn." Hiei leaned his face upward toward the sky, as Kurama had done a few minutes earlier, a contemplative look upon his face. He soon looked back at Kurama.
"Let's find Yuusuke and the others before you tell me anymore. It'll save time if you only have to tell the story once."
Kurama nodded, and they turned in the direction of Genkai's temple.
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Botan pulled the cowl over her head after she stepped through the portal. She turned in time to watch the portal close, and Karasu open his eyes and wink at her.
She walked over to a window and looked out at the vast jungle of Maikai. She pulled a map that she had hastily drawn up from her pocket and studied it for a moment. From Raven Tower, the inuyoukai lord's mansion was to the west about five miles. She stuck her head out of the window and looked down.
The portal in Karasu's room opened, coincidentally, into the only room of Raven Tower, a derelict building that had long ago been abandoned. No one knew what it's original purpose had been, but the demons of Maikai tended to steer clear of it. Which was awfully convenient for Botan and Karasu. The tower itself was approximately thirteen stories high, well above the tree level with a really spectacular view, and had windows that faced each of the cardinal directions. Botan had a bird's eye view of this bit of Maikai.
The only room in the tower was large and circular, at the very top of thirteen flights of stairs. There where bits of old furniture scattered around the room: a chair with three legs, a table, a very old and very dusty bed. The tower itself was solid and still in very good condition.
All in all it seemed like something out of the story of Repunzel. Except, there were stairs to climb down, none of that hair climbing stuff.
Botan vaulted down the stairs, and began to run swiftly in the direction of the inuyoukai lord's mansion. She'd be there in about fifteen minutes if she kept the good pace; she was a very swift runner.
And soon she saw it, an expansive and decorative estate. She slowed down and entered the grounds cautiously; eyes open for any guards or magical traps. She moved swiftly from shadow to shadow, glancing around her frequently. Soon she felt it, a magical barrier to keep out intruders. She stopped and concentrated. Botan chanted something, and tip of her right index finger began to glow. She reached out as if the barrier around the estate were a tangible thing she could touch. Suddenly there was a small sound, like that of a mirror cracking, and the barrier shattered. Botan stepped through.
She had to repeat the spell twice, like Karasu had said, once more when she entered the house and again when she tried to get into the room on the third floor. Botan began to feel slightly cocky. This was going so easily; there hadn't even been a guard yet! But she tried to suppress these feelings. Botan told herself that she could feel as cocky as she wanted too after she was back through the portal. But she was hardly done with the job yet. She still had to get out of the house and off the grounds before she could allow herself to breath a little easier.
She was in the room with the artifact. It was just lying there on a desk, not even a protection spell around it. She approached it cautiously, feeling the air for anything unusual just in case she was mistaken and there was a spell around the artifact. Maybe a cleverly hidden one. But Botan's attuned senses could pick up nothing.
She reached the artifact and slowly picked it up, holding her breath, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did. She slipped it into a pocket on the inside of her cape. Karasu was right; it did look like a small, jade ankh. She turned and walked out the door, shutting carefully behind her.
Botan walked down the hall, toward the window at the end. She had checked it when she had come up the stairs, there was a lovely tree outside that she could climb down, saving her at least ten minutes otherwise wasted stalking through the house.
Something glimmered out of the corner of her eye. She turned. Botan's eyes widened.
A room full of gold. Gold. She had been so absorbed with the finding the artifact that she hadn't even noticed it the first time she walked by it. Botan stepped into the room.
The moonlight that came through the window gave the gold a eerie but very becoming glow. Botan was tempted to take a few handfuls but knew it would weigh her down, not a good idea if there came a reason to run. She leaned down and studied the closest pile of gold. There were coins, a crown, an… egg… thing… and a ring. It was a small ring, very delicate looking, with a ruby in the middle and leaves etched into the side with stunning detail. If she took the ring, it wouldn't weigh her down… And it would fetch a very nice price… Botan pulled off her glove and tried the ring on. A perfect fit, how lucky could a girl get?
A noise behind her. Botan whirled silently around, eyes darting about. A guard, standing not eight feet away, looking at her in confusion.
They stared at each other for a moment, She into his stupid, piggy eyes, and he into the deep shadow her cowl cast over her face. The guard suddenly seemed to realize that his master was being robbed, and opened his mouth to shout the alarm.
Botan sprang into action, vaulting out of the room and slamming her fist into his stomach, effectively silencing the guard by knocking the wind out of him. She sidled away from him before he could grab onto her and they circled each other, the guard trying to regain his breath. She darted for the stairs, she didn't want to take the window now, as it would slow her down to open it. The guard ran heavily after her, surprisingly quick. He caught up to her at the stairway, grabbing the end of her cape as she tried to jump down the stairs. Botan quickly turned to face him, giving the guard a vicious punch in the face while throwing herself backward to get out of his grip. The guard let her go in surprise and Botan lost her balance. She tumbled down the stairs, but was up in an instant, wincing.
The guard finally managed to call for help, but Botan was already out the door and halfway across the estate by the time the other guards saw her and she lost them in then woods.
She ran as quickly as possible to Raven Tower and pulled herself up the thirteen flights of stairs. Her watch alarm beeped as she stumbled into the room, panting and gritting her teeth in pain. Apparently she'd hurt herself worse than she originally thought in that fall.
The portal opened and she jumped through, landing in the lap of a very surprised Karasu.
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Oh no! Is Botan okay? How are Yuusuke and the other's going to take the news that there's a new thief in Maikai? Will Kurama help Koenma catch this thief?
In the next chapter, more scenes with Kurama and Botan together! Yay! I know some of you have been craving waffly-ness. And I'm dying to give it too you! Just let me get there!
Thankies to these people who reviewed chapter four:
I won't tell: (why not?) Yeah, Botan's the thief. Isn't it great? I know you're craving fluff, and I am too, honest! But just wait, I'll get there. And Karasu may be interested in Botan in that kind of way… ::gives you a mysterious look::
PassionateAngel: Good, I really wanted to that chapter of question answering out of the way so that I could move onto the good stuff. I'm glad you like my fic, you think it's unique? ::does a happy dance::
Xiao Xing: I'm glad you find it interesting, and as for Yuusuke and the others being in it… Does this chapter answer that question?
Yume Ookami: Down girl! Put those fangs away! Here's another chapter for you!
Tellia: You are so welcome. And your band teacher sounds like a very… odd… man. ::quirks eyebrow:: Here's another chapter for you!
Alien9999: I don't know weather or not Kurama knows Botan from his past… And Oliver is very special… He'll show up again later.
Sarah: Yep, that's how it happened. A teaser? Woman, that chapter took me an hour to write! If it had been a teaser you would know it! ::ahem:: Anyway, here is a nice long chapter for you. ::grumbles under her breath: at teaser… as if.::
Don't forget to review darlings! Keep me motivated!