wolvesrain17 : I would recommend something here, but there are many teenies here, and I do not want to be in trouble for somehow contributing to teenie drunkenness. XD as soon as I find the notebook. (I swear they grow legs and walk away!)

LostCause6661 : the sequel is on hold for reasons stated up there^. When you are legal, look me up, I'll see what I can do. ;) yes, I love their banter too. Don't worry, it continues on in the next story. And he IS a surly firebug. And their awful tradition thingie is kinda like, lord insurance. (and demons are all about scars...)

I do not own the original YYH characters. They WANTED to be OOC, so that is how I wrote them. Do not worry, they will go back to being their original selves when I've done with them. I DO own all OC's, namely (in this chapter) pyro, and the pink housekeeper, maya.

I'm sorry, I may have lied. There may be two final chapters and an epilogue segue. I didn't realise just how much I had left. (that's what happens when you write right side up on one side of the page, and upsidedown on the other.)

Inside, I was almost immediately whisked away by the maids into an empty room. Well, I'd thought it was a room, but it was actually a frikken HUGE closet. I was stripped, bathed and had my hair swept up into a half up half down style that kept my ears uncovered.

After that, a sleeveless dress was practically painted onto me. The torso was super tight, but not restrictive, and the skirt flared out to a full almost touching the floor length. It was lavender, with a pale blue sash.

I drew the line at the makeup. They wanted to do something dramatic and cakey. "I will not wear anything that will make my mate not recognize me. I am the lady of this damn castle and I WILL be recognizable at all times." I growled. My eyes may have gone a little crazy, because the women paled and mumbled their "yes ma'am."

The leader of the group was the same pink demoness from the funeral games. "What is your name?" I asked her.

"Maya, ma'am. I'm the head of housekeeping." She paused for a moment, holding a pot of bright red goo and a small paint brush.

"And what is that stuff?" I pointed at said pot. At least the contents didn't bubble or steam.

"Rouge. For your lips, and cheeks."

I sighed. "Honey, you and I need to have us a sit down to discuss getting the makeup out of the middle ages."

She bowed slightly before starting to apply the goo. "As my lady wishes."

Hiei was waiting, pacing the space in front of the doors to the main hall, looking like he was trying to decide if he should run away. He was in a black silk tunic and pants, with a red trim that almost perfectly matched his eyes. His hair still defied gravity, and his jagan was still covered in the multi-coloured paisley bandana I'd given him.

"Oh, wow, Hiei, you clean up nice." I grinned. My tail, which I'd kinda forced the women to make a small hole in the dress for, curled around my waist.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in a dress that wasn't a costume." He smirked at me. "I like it." He offered his arm, like a gentleman. I knew hanging out with the fox had taught him some kind of manners.

I curled my arm around his. "Don't get used to it, skirts are terrible to try and fight in."

The doors opened to reveal a lavishly decorated room filled with light and music. Everything stopped, and all the demons not at the head table rose when the doors opened. A deep booming voice announced us as lord and lady as we walked up to the large table. I tried not to gawk, because it would definitely embarrass Hiei.

Yomi and Kurama sat with the general from the funeral games off to Hiei's left. I was on his right, and to my left was the king. I assumed Yusuke and his friend were beyond that, but I couldn't see to confirm, as the king happened to be a mountain of a demon.

"My dear, you clean up very well. Have you met my mate?" Enki said, after we'd settled.

I gave him a small smile. "I have yet to have the pleasure, my lord king."

He sighed as he pushed himself away from the table slightly to reveal a small female demon. "Lady Feochadan, my mate, Koku."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady." I said with a smile.

She returned the smile. "Likewise. I've heard a lot about you."

I giggled. "None of it good, I'm sure."

She laughed heartily. Like threw her head back and laughed. "Your reputation isn't so bad yet, just the demon bitch your soul used to be." She threw me a wink. "We'll work on that."

I rolled my eyes. "If my lord mate ever lets me fight again."

"You have a very long list of demons just waiting for a chance to spar with you, simply because they think you only bested Mukuro because Hiei helped you." Koku laughed. "I'm sure he doesn't want his people to think his mate weak."

Enki began to laugh. "Would you ladies like me to switch seats with one of you?"

"No dear, its fine. I need to talk to Yusuke for a bit anyway." Koku glared up at the ginormous demon king.

"Of course, Koku." Enki smiled at his mate, then turned to me. "So, about that training schedule of yours..."

I threw my hands in the air and rolled my eyes. "Oh my frikken gods! I'm not even a demon for three whole days and already I'm up to my ears in pests!"

Hiei turned and put a protective arm around my shoulders. "Getting asked about training again?"

"Only by everydamnbody I meet. Seriously, Yomi, Koku, Enki... Hell, if they weren't so scared of you, I swear your whole army would be asking right now." I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder. I was frustrated, and his shoulders are surprisingly comfy, so shh.

"That is the way our world works, onna." he chuckled a little, the spiky bastard. "We fight a lot, and over stupid things."

"Screw that." I growled. It was against everything I'd believed for a long time.

"Pyro?" Hiei was awash with confusion, and it showed plainly on his face for once.

'Fuck this shit, I need to leave.' I stood and concentrated. My tail disappeared, and I hoped my ears and crazy hair had as well.

Kurama stood, his demon form towering over me now. "Thistle? Is there something wrong?" I could feel the concern pouring off him.

"No, nothing. I'm just a godsdamned demon." I raced off before any more awkward questions could start. My head hurt.

So, not only did I have to deal with everyone and their uncle wanting to fight me, just because, I also had to deal with tripping every five feet, because I failed to remember that my demon form was significantly taller than my human form. I soon grew tired of tripping on my skirt, and slumped on a bench against the wall opposite a window and closed my eyes.

I heard running footsteps approach and slow to a stop in front of me. "Thistle? Lady kitty?"

"Go away, Yoko." I sighed.

"Why did you run?"

"K'rama, just leave. I wanna be alone." I sighed again. Damn nosy-ass fox.

"Our world can be quite a shock." The bench creaked as he sat down next to me.

I ran my hand through my hair and glared at him. "Do you really not know the meaning of 'I want to be alone' or are you trying to piss me the hell off?"

"Well, it was either I come down here and try to get you to talk, or your mate comes down and carries you back to the feast and basically yells at you for the rest of the evening." Kurama sighed.

'Fuck you, oni-sama." I glared in the direction of the hall.

"Now, why are you out here, in human form, and pissed enough to broadcast it in a ten-foot radius?" He wrapped an arm around my shoulders in an almost brotherly gesture.

I leaned on his shoulder. It was a little bony, but I was done being picky about it. "Its just, I've been a witch for years. I was ok with all the fighting and crap before because it was to protect you guys, and the worlds. kinda like karma on speed."

"And why is being a demon so opposite that?"

"The main rule of Wicca- harm none. Then there's the Rule of Three; every action will eventually come back three-fold." *

"Then our ways of fighting for the hell of it are anathema. But why are you out here sulking?"

"Because that is all anyone wants to ask me about!" I sat up straight and fairly shoved his arm back at him.

Kurama rubbed his wrist, like it hurt. "Mukuro was, well, she was incredibly strong. She made it to the semi-finals of the demon world tournament three times, and you bested her in one fight. Those who think themselves strong wish to test themselves against you, as an instinct."

"Well, my instinct is to tell them all to bugger off." I snapped. I was quiet about it, even though I wanted to scream it down the hallway.

"Your demon instinct kicked in earlier at the funeral games. Everyone sat up and took notice at the flares you let off when they cut Hiei." He gave me a look of pride, like I was his prize student. Hell of a turnaround from being the enemy a few months previous.

I blushed and shrugged. "I just don't like my mate getting hurt."

"Your instinct to protect gained intensity. Gods help any being stupid enough to attempt to harm your future kittens." He chuckled at my growl. "I'm sure if you go back and explain yourself, they would back down for a few weeks at least. Demons are not complete barbarians."

"I'm not even sure I want to stay in this world. I'm not a person who likes violence, and this world is full of it." I started to pace in front of the bench. Talk therapy was definitely NOT helping.

He gave me a look of pure disbelief. "You, who broke a man's elbow on your last night as a human, doesn't like violence?"

"It was self defense! And I warned him ahead of time!" I stopped for half a second to glare at the shocked fox. "I was eager to train and shit to PROTECT the worlds from me. Mission accomplished, bitch is reformed, I'm fully me, end of fucking story. I'm done." I kept walking in a direction I was pretty sure led out of the castle.

Kurama ran and caught my arm. "Thistle..."

I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "I said I'm done!" I started running again. The first time I tripped, I turned the fall into a transformation to my oversize black tabby form and jumped out the nearst window into a tree. Once out, I just kept running.

I finally decided to rest about a mile away from the castle, in a tall tree. Hiei's habits influenced the decision, since being in a tree allows you to scope a stalker without getting caught. 'Can't even be alone as a godsdamned cat.' I grumbled to myself.

A silver fox circled the base of the tree, confusion peppering the air.

I hissed. 'Fucking oni-sensei, piss off.'

'It is not safe for you to be out here alone.' a voice more like Yoko's floated through the back of my brain.

'Then I will go to the portal and back to the temple. I need to be alone.'

'Hiei will not allow it.'

'Hiei can kiss my furry ass.'

'I made your apologies. There are a lot of sympathetic demons back there.'

'I don't want their sympathy.' I hissed and spat at the fox from my perch in the tree.

'The king and his mate send their most sincere apologies.'

'They can keep 'em.' I started to run along the branch to get to the next tree.

'Why are you so upset?'

'Because I fucking am! You've had years to come to terms with this shit, and Yusuke was born violent if you believe the shit Kuwabara says. I've had three days and NO down time at all.'

I kept running in the direction of the portal, the whole time vaguely aware of Kurama's energy following me at a discrete distance.

Ok, I have to stop. This time I'm sure, one more chapter, and then the epilogue/teaser.

*the wiccan rede gives the harm none law more poetically. And its against intentional harm, accidental harm will still bite your ass under the rule of three. And in my understanding of things, as a witch of the grey area, you harm me and mine, I have every right to wreak havoc on you.

#and yes, once upon a time, rouge for cheeks and lips were the same thing, and women whitened their faces with a lime and wax mixture, and not the citrus fruit kind of lime either. The caustic stuff that could melt your flesh from your bones if you apply it wrong kind. (I am a nerd. I am proud of it.)