Note from Author: All right there are a few things in here that may not make sense since I'm introducing new material. First off, if you have any questions after the explanations in the story, pm me or leave a question on the comment. :) Second of all... o-o I forgot my second thought... Hmm... Oh well :D Once again, pm/comment to me if you has questions. ROSEY OUT~

Chapter 2

The carrot top was sitting at the table that Kuronue was leading Hika to. He was guarding two lunch boxes that were opened to reveal more food than the demoness thought the humans could eat in one sitting. She openly stared at the food in astonishment, stopping two feet away from the table. Were the two humans really going to eat all of the food on the table? Yes, Hika had seen demons that were not under Yoko's thumb eat a whole human in three bikes, Hika had never seen a human eat so much food.

"Hika, this is my best friend Char." Kuronue said, taking the seat on his friends left. That left the seat across from Char and on Kuronue's left open for the demon girl to take. The remaining seat was taken up by a pair of bags that seemed to belong to the two boys.

"Char, this is a friend of Kurama's. You know, the red head from this morning? Kurama has asked me to make sure that she fits in since she's the new bug of the school." Kuronue continued before taking the lid of his own lunch box and started to move different foods from the box to the lid.

Char had been in the middle of a bite of food when Kuronue had stopped talking. He turned his eyes up to watch as the demon girl sat down and took the lid slowly. Hika paused as she felt his eyes upon her and looked up to meet his sky blue eye with her icy grey ones. They sat there in silence trying to stare one another down. Finally Char returned to his meal just long enough to finish his bite. When he spoke, Hika was astonished that he spoke with a British accent which sounded strange with the Japanese words that came from his mouth.

"Char is only a nickname that Kuronue gave me when we became friends. My real name is Charlie. It's a pleasure to meet such a beauty as yourself Miss Hika. IF you need any help around the school, do not hesitate to ask. I do hope that we can be friends." Charlie said, as a bright smile lit his face for a moment. Then he went back to eating his food as if he hadn't just complimented the young woman.

Hika was in a state of pleased shock however. No one had ever called her a beauty before. Any demons that did talk about her looks always compared her to her grandmother or spoke about her mother's beauty. She'd never been considered a beauty herself. She blushed with pride that thought that maybe, just maybe, this time here would not become such a terrible thing after all; especially if men kept calling her beautiful or pretty. She had a hidden part of her that really liked being praised—after almost 200 years of only being compared to her grandmother, who could truly blame Hika?

"I hope that we can be friends as well Charlie." Hika replied before starting her own food with an extra pair of chopsticks that Kuronue supplied her. She purposefully used his full name so that she didn't feel like she was friends with Kuronue. After all she was still being stared at by the other human's. Unbeknownst to her, they were already talking about her—her eyes, her ability to hang out with Kuronue who was one of the not-popular-but-not-unpopular people of the school within the time it took most people to gather their lunches from their lockers. She sat and ate as politely as she could while sharing in small talk with Charlie and Kuronue.

About half-way through the lunch period, Charlie rose and smiled at the two. "Dear Miss Hika, I hope you will forgive me, I need to go meet a teacher. I'll see you tomorrow at lunch possibly? If not, perhaps we can hang out some time. I would like to hear more of your family's home. It's one of the local spooky spots of the town." He said with a friendly enough smile before turning and walking off towards the school. He did not leave time for Hika to agree or disagree. It was as if he was in a rush to get everything out at once for he feared to lose the moment.

Hika tilted her head to the side. She'd been in the middle of nibbling delicately on a rice ball—not sure if she liked it or not. She sat with it still against her lips as she watched him walk away thoughtfully. Kuronue had a small smile on his lips, which he wiped away when she turned to look at him. She lowered the rice ball down to the lid of the lunch box he had given her with food on it and wiped her lips.

"Charlie isn't a normal human is he?" Hika's words were soft so that only Kuronue could hear. "He's different than most humans here. That tattoo on his neck, it's a spelled one. And yet he smells like a human, and I bet if I tasted his blood, it'd taste human as well. What is he?" Her curiosity was killing her.

"There goes my allowance for the next week," Kuronue said with a chuckle, shaking his head. To her confused look he explained after he'd taken a drink from a soda he had brought with him. "I swore to Kurama that you wouldn't notice anything different about Char for at least a week. He told me that you'd notice sooner than that. I bet him twenty bucks that it would take you at least a week."

Hika stared at Kuronue with surprise. She felt insulted that he thought her to be slow or an idiot when it came to seeing things, but at the same time she felt confidence swell in her that Kurama thought that she was smart. "Well, obviously I noticed, so what's up with him?" she prodded.

Kuronue packed up as much of his lunch as he could before motioning her to finish up. Hika's frowned and ate her food quickly. He took the lid and then motioned to her to follow. Loud enough for others to hear but not loud enough to be called a yell, he spoke:

"Sure Hika-san, I'd love to take you on a grand tour. I can probably get you about halfway around campus during the rest of lunch, but maybe we could meet up after school and finish it up?"

Hika could tell an act when she saw it. She smiled and acted as human as she thought she could without vomiting at the disgust that rolled over her and followed Kuronue with a slight bounce in her walk that she'd seen a few human girls use earlier in the day. Once they were out of sight of the humans, Kuronue dropped the smiling prince act and Hika returned to frowning and following him with a more secure way of walking. She would be able to spin off into a kick at a moment's notice with this walk. With the other she was afraid she'd fall into the sky.

"So—" Hika started before Kuronue stopped her by raising a hand.

"Char isn't like other humans. The tattoo around his neck keeps his powers at bay. There is a reason that I call him Char instead of Charlie. If that tattoo was ever to break, his true nature would emerge. He is a fire spirit. And I don't mean those little fire-head midget demons that call themselves fire spirits from demon world. I mean a true to life Fire Spirit, one that born from the embers of a fire that was blessed by three different demon priests. He was created to serve their control seventeen and a half years ago. Lord Koenma saved him and placed him here with that tattoo around his neck in order to keep him safe." Kuronue paused and looked up at the sky.

"So, his body is a human, but his soul is that of a Fire Spirit?" Hika asked in amazement. She looked up at the sky and thought about it.

She had been taught about Spirits. There were several kinds it was said: the spirits that inhabited humans, the spirits that inhabited demons, the spirits of spirit world, and the Great Spirits that were the elements incarnate. For the elemental spirits they could be summoned from the middle of their element. They were given consciousness and usually tamed to follow others orders that were of the same element. They took a form that was symbolic—a dragon, a phoenix, a mermaid—and used that to do their orders.

In some cases, the spirit could take the body of a human that had recently been killed or had died, and reanimate it. But in order not to destroy the body, they had to be sealed inside with a special tattoo that would keep their powers locked away. Human bodies it was said were incapable to hand the powers of an elemental being.

"Yes. That is why I'm his friend and why you won't find many things surprise him. He is far wiser than most, though he tries to hide it. He likes to be around other humans, especially since the tattoo keeps him from hurting them." Kuronue finished with a small smile as he leaned against a nearby tree.

Hika was in a state of stunned silence. The creature that was Charlie was a being that was far superior to any of those on the planet. Essentially if he wanted he could be considered a god by those around him. Yet he chose so willingly to be a human that it was almost beautiful in its own way. She leaned against the wall that was across from Kuronue and turned her gaze to him instead.

"You should count your blessings that you will have the two of us protecting you while we are here." Kuronue finally said to break the silence that had grown between them. If Haki had had feathers on her wings, they would have fluffed at the insinuation that she couldn't protect herself.

"Excuse me, but I don't need your help." Haki growled, pushing herself from leaning against the wall to glare up at the man. "I have been alive longer than you. I've had to deal with de-things that you never even have dreamed about!"

Before either of them could say more on the subject, a group of girls turned the corner and stopped to look at them. Whispers started up as Haki turned to look at them for a moment. She heard catches of 'catching Kuronue's heart already' and 'what a fast girl'. Her shoulders stiffened and she turned her back to them. Kuronue had straightened and was looking between the group of girls to the girl he had been talking to.

"Just because Kurama asked you to help me, does not mean I need help." Haki told the young man and stalked off. None of the humans could see that her cheeks were a bright red. It had been too much like back at home in demon world. She was a half-demon. She must be trying to either sell herself or figure out a way to become a full demon. No, there was no way that Hika had just been talking to a human out of interest.

Hika heard the footsteps of someone behind her and quickened her pace. When she didn't hear the footsteps fade, but increase their pace, she sprinted away. She didn't wait for them to start running after them. Hika was glad that she had chosen to wear shorts under her school skirt, even if they were against the dress code. She sprinted and dodged through groups of people, losing the footsteps. When she was sure she wasn't being followed, Hika slowed and looked around.

"Just… great." She mumbled as she noted that she was lost in the large school. Her blue eyes closed for a moment to collect herself. "Humans are just like Demons. People say that they are different. They aren't. They are all hate filled bastards that reject anything that isn't their own kind."

The words slipped from her lips like water from a faucet that had just been turned off—fast and then slowing off. The anger that had filled them wavered and soon she found herself sitting against the wall behind her and pulling her knees to her chest. She had boasted of being old, but in truth, she was the human's age compared to other demons. She was no more than a teenager looking for recognition for her abilities. She didn't want to be compared to weaklings or her grandmother. She wanted to make her own mark on the world.

"One such as you should not weep for not understanding her surroundings," said a slippery voice. It sounded like rain falling onto a tiled roof. She looked up and blinked a few times. Tears had indeed been nearing the edges of her eyes and threatening to fall. Standing near the fence that was the edge of the schools grounds stood a man of twenty-five. He didn't wear a school uniform either so that made her rise slowly, careful not to show any fear.

"What do you mean one such as me?" She asked, tilting her head to the side. Hika didn't trust this man. Why would he say 'for not understanding her surroundings'? Did he know that she was new, or was it that he knew she wasn't even from this Earth?

"A young woman as lovely as you." The man said again with the same slick voice. A shudder ran up the demon girls back. "You know, I've heard rumors that you look like your human grandmother. Now don't get angry over that silly girl. I don't think you resemble her at all. I knew her far deeper than even her fool of a mate Kuronue did." His white-blonde hair lay against tanned skin that hosted a pair of bright sea-green eyes.

Bristling, Hika shifted her weight so that she would be able to take a hit if necessary. "How dare you insult lord Kuornue. He was –"

"Unable to even protect the woman he later made his mate despite her being human." The man finished her sentence cruelly with a thin smile. "You should ask your mother, or maybe Night, just what your soul has done in its past life. Did you know that your soul was a child killer?"

Hika frowned and took a step forward. They were closed off from most people with trees hiding her hiding place on both sides and then the fence about twenty feet from the wall that she had been sitting against. At least she would be able to use what little power she had to beat the crap out of this strange fellow.

"You are only a little like your grandmother. You look nothing like her. But your mind. Oh your mind tastes as fresh as the first time I touched Hiromi's all those centuries ago. Until later, my little white rose. Take care of what you need to take care of girl, because by the end of the year, you will have no body to call your own," the man warned as he sidestepped the throwing knife that Hika had thrown the moment he had started to threaten her. He laughed as he jumped backwards over the fence and disappeared from view. It was a chilling laugh that dragged daggers up Hika's spine.

Hika ran cold hands over her arms and stared at where the man had been. She blinked a few times as she tried to sense the man. There had been little demonic energy left over by his presence, which made little sense to Hika. Hika considered telling her mother about the man and his threat.

No! She would take care of this herself. If she really was the reincarnated soul of her grandmother, then she would have to take care of the insult to her pride as a Bat Demon herself. The demon part of her demanded that she protect her own spirit.

She turned and blinked as she noticed Charlie standing at the corner watching her with eyes that spoke of knowing beyond his years.

"That was one nasty possession." He said, coming to her side and looking at the fence where the man had disappeared.

"You mean he was being possessed?" Hika asked, staring at Charlie for a moment, remembering the things that she had been told by Kuronue. Charlie nodded and remained silent for a moment.

"He said something about your past life, right?" Charlie asked with a deep frown.

"Yes, everyone things I'm the reincarnated for of my grandmother—a human by the name of Hiromi. She was a spy for Lord Koenma that was captured by Lord Kuronue." Hika explained, joining Charlie in frowning at the fence.

"Hika, I will share a tiny bit of what I know about reincarnated beings. There are only two ways that it can occur, since most beings are sent on up to Spirit World and then onto whatever heaven or hell that is proscribed by their lives. The first way is if, in the case of Kurama and Kuronue, their demonic spirits escape over the barrier and take the form of a human. This can sometimes take years to accomplish. Depending on the amount of time that it takes they may have all their memories, as Kurama does, or little to know memory of their times before.

"The second way is the hardest way since it requires that someone in Spirit World—normally King Yama, or his son Lord Koenma—to sign off on it. The soul is kept in a capsule of sorts. It is then given to the mother to drink as a potion just before the child is to be born, within two or three hours. The potion travels straight through the mother and goes into the child, though the mother will never be able to bear a child again." Charlie explained, thinking about it while he continued to stare at the fence like it was some kind of marvelous piece of artwork.

Hika was staring no longer at the fence but at the ground. She had never wondered by her mother who was so young, had never had more children. Hika could have had up to ten brothers or sisters had her mother not willing taken that potion.

"The soul of the child is thus replaced by the soul of the person to be reincarnated. The person that is reincarnated will have no memories of their former self. They can, if they work at it, gain those memories, but that takes a lot of work." Charlie said, breaking the stare at the fence to look over at Hika again. Slowly a smile came to his face and he put a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"I believe that Lord Koenma felt sorry for your grandmother, that or she was very useful to him during her time, and thus he felt obliged to give her a second chance at… at everything. Now. Smile, you do not look as pretty when you frown. I will see you soon, hopefully." Charlie left the girl to ponder the developments that had taken place.

Hika was even more determined to take care of that man—whoever he really was—on her own now. She had been angry that he had insulted her grandmother and Kuronue. Now she was angry that he had essentially insulted her. "Whoever you are, I will find you and make you pay for whatever you did to my grandmother and for the insults to me." She said softly and was surprised when a voice in her head answered.

We shall see little rose. We shall see.