"Talking"
"Thinking"
-Telepathisis-
Flashback

-x-x-x-x-
Chapter Thirteen
Secrets, Disappearances, Tempers Flare

And Koenma wonders why I'm adverse to going to school...

1 - It's fucking huge
2 - People in general just hate me.
3 - Teachers/Principles/All other authority figures automatically assume that because I have blue hair, I'm a punk and will therefore start trouble.
4 - They then treat me like a punk, despite the fact that a) I have done nothing, and b) they don't know me.
5 - I then act like a punk because they piss me off and it's really just a vicious cycle.
6 - Ze just laughed at me. I'm going to kill him.

Emma asks what I'm doing.

I tell her that I'm plotting world domination.

She rolls her eyes, the corner of her mouth twitching upwards. "If you say so."

Okay, so I have a reason to add to the "go to school" column. Someone here actually understands me and my sense of humor, warped as it is...

0x0x0x0

"Kurama?" Kimi stares at the redhead sitting on the couch. He gives no indication that he has heard her; she sighs and disappears into the kitchen. When she reappears, she has a cup of green tea; she hands it to him. He wordlessly takes a sip, allowing the liquid to scald his tongue.

"Thanks." He murmurs softly.

"No problem. You okay?"

"Fine."

She decides not to dispute his claim, despite how hollow his voice sounds now; she merely sits on the wing chair beside the couch with a cup of tea for herself. The silence is broken at irregular intervals by sound of tea being sipped.

"Have you ever lied to someone to protect them?" Kurama asks suddenly.

"I prefer not to."

"But have you?" His eyes overflow with regret.

She sighs and places her cup down. "Yes." Silence reigns for a few moments. "...did something happen?"

"Nothing."

"...alright...but if you need someone to talk to...or just someone to listen...well, I'm assuming you can find me more easily than I can find you..." She jokes feebly, poking fun at her near-inability to detect others' auras. "...mind you, I'm fairly sure Sora would be better with this sort of thing..."

"...Kimi."

"Ah, sorry." She swears as she picks up her tea cup, as she spilled some of the scalding liquid on herself. "Rambling."

He nods to acknowledge her. The minutes then pass in silence again.

"Who was it you lied to?" The redhead questions abruptly.

She is silent for a moment. "Depends on your view of lying."

A red eyebrow arches.

"In your opinion, is it done with words-"

"Of course-"

"-or with silence."

He stares at her; she seems very interested in her tea cup.

"It's me you lied to...isn't it?"

Her eyes finally meet his. "As I said...it depends on your opinion of lying."

"What haven't you told me?" He grasps at the distraction, glad of it.

She sighs. "Nothing that can be said or explained right now..."

"So you're not saying anything because you dislike me?"

"...I didn't say that."

He frowns. "Then why-"

"Guys!" Sora skids into the room. "Uhm, I'll apologize later, but your mom and mine are on their way!"

The redhead jumps as though electrocuted. "What?"

"They're at the bottom of the steps!"

"Greetings."

Kimi takes one look at her doppleganger and sighs. "You can explain later." She promptly drags the other girl off.

Shiori enters, promptly followed by Sora's mom. "Shuichi?"

"I'm fine, Mother." He murmurs. "I just needed some air..."

Kimi chooses that moment to enter with a tray of steaming cups. "Tea?"

"Ah, hello." Sora's mom assists the distribution of tea cups. "And how are you?"

"Very well, thank you for asking. How have you been?" The demoness is the epitome of civil and polite.

"Well, thank you." Sora's mom accepts her tea with a grin.

"You two know each other?" Shiori questions as she sits with her tea.

"She and Sora are friends." The other woman grins. "That reminds me. I wanted to have a dinner party next Friday and I'd like to invite you all...as well as those other boys Sora hangs out with..."

"Of course Shuichi and I will come." Shiori replies.

"What about you, K-"

"She's got plans." A familiar voice with a not so familiar visage murmurs. A girl wth black hair and silver eyes steps into view. Kimi flashes them a polite smile before standing and dragging the girl off again.

"Well..."

"Mother, I'm fine. I do not need a blood test."

Sora and his mother politely excuse themselves to the kitchen.

She frowns. "According to the hospital's records, they don't even know what your blood type is."

He grimaces mentally, and outwardly aquiesces, though he decides that he will get it right this time.

0x0x0x0

"Sora...why don't we talk anymore?" His mother inquires as he does the dishes.

"Because you're always mocking what's important to me." He replies.

A slight, sad smile curls the corners of her lips. "This is important to you?"

"Yes!"

"You've found your niche, haven't you?"

Sora pauses. "I haven't found my soulmate."

"Then why do you spend so much time with Kimi?"

He continues doing the dishes. "She's like an older sister to me."

"Oh?"

"No romantic feelings at all."

Kimi enters. "Need help with the dishes?"

Her female shadow with silver eyes and black hair follows silently behind her.

"I'm good." He mumbles.

She leans against the counter, grinning. "I've always thought of you as a mix between an older and younger brother, so we're even."

He relaxes and grins back; she winks before leading her shadow elsewhere.

0x0x0x0

"Hey Ma." Yusuke greets as he enters the apartment.

"Any new cases?" She asks as she takes a drag on her cigarette.

He thinks of Touya/Jin and the caster who nearly killed Kurama (though he is now dead). "No." He retreats to his room. "I'm not really lying..." He flops down on his bed and stares up at the ceiling. "They aren't official cases anyway..." With a mental sigh, he closes his eyes and begins to drift off, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach.

0x0x0x0

Kuwabara yawns as he stealthily slips into his apartment. He is an hour past curfew and he has no idea if Shizuru awaits him on the other side of the doorway. When she does not appear, he breathes a soundless sigh of relief and sneaks up to his room. He is so elated about avoiding trouble that he misses the feeling of abnormalcy that insistently tugs at him.

0x0x0x0

"Night Kims." Sora hugs said girl; she returns it.

"Sleep tight, munchkin." She replies and laughs when she is awarded a disgruntled look.

"Only two inches shorter..." He grumbles.

"And I intend to enjoy it while I can."

Sora's mom shakes her head at the two, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Shuichi, you need-"

"No." Kurama states flatly. "I have spare clothes; I will spend the night here."

Sora frowns, then glances at his mom; she sighs. "C'mon, Shiori. I think we ought to let the kids alone."

"If only she knew..." Kimi and Sora both think.

Shiori's look is worried. "But-"

"So you're Minamino's mom..." Genkai's voice issues from the doorway. Shiori nods, seemingly stunned. Genkai smiles slightly. "He's a good kid and I have no problems with him...unlike some others." Her gaze rests on Kimi, who sticks her tongue out at the aged psychic.

Kurama's mother gapes.

Genkai's next smile is also small. "She's a powerful enough psychic in her own right."

"Well..." Shiori falters.

Sora blinks when her aura, which was nonexistent, appears briefly a silver cloud before vanishing. Before she can argue, Sora's mom drags her off.

Genkai turns her gaze to the three. "I'm assuming you saw that."

Sora nods; Kimi does as well, though hers is very stiff.

"Saw?" Kurama questions. The only human in the group declines comment and slips inside.

The black haired boy notes that Kurama is starting to get irritated and that Kimi is pale, possibly shaking. "Hey."

"Hm?" Kimi turns to him.

"Is your wrist better?"

She grimaces. "Not quite."

"Then will you be ref?"

"Ref for what?"

Sora grins. "You wanted to continue to spar with us, didn't you?"

0x0x0x0

Kurama rises, brushes his hair and slips into comfortable training clothes. Feeling satisfied that he awoke before the other two, he consumes a quick breakfast before heading outside for a quick warm up.

There, to his surprise, he finds both already practicing.

"I thought your arm wasn't healed."

She gives him a disgruntled, "you had to remind me" look. "It's not. I can still do the repetitive movement warm up drill, though."

Sora sighs, privately beginning to regret bringing it back up. Kimi obligingly steps back while Kurama warms up.

"Begin!" She calls after Kurama is done; the two clash. At the start, Kurama has some difficulty matching Sora's speed; ten minutes later, he finds his opponent much slower-closer to human speed-and is forced to watch himself, as he almost slices Sora from skull to sole.

"What the-?" The confused fox demon cries mentally as the attacks directed at him begin to pick of speed again. He then recalls Kimi's warning about Sora randomly tapping into his demonic abilities, then frowns. "Well, as an opponent, he's interesting at least..."

Meanwhile, Sora is getting frustrated. He knows the feel of his power, knows how and when and where he should utilize it-but he can't figure out how to activate it or keep it activated. It comes and goes as it pleases, often leaving him in a bind. One time he was about to execute a maneuver that requires demonic speed; another is just now, when he failed to block Kurama's down stroke.

He sighs mentally. "At least he hasn't beaten me yet..."

The thought proceeds his defeat by mere moments. With an audible sigh, he flops down and grumbles to himself.

"Better to lose to him than to someone who wants you dead." Kimi comments as she tosses both a water bottle. While rising, she tumbles over and lands awkwardly, blinking as though dazed.

"Kimi!" Sora races over. "Are you-" He breaks off as he feels it too.

Yusuke, aura spilling out into the air and coating the area with crackling energy, storms in; Kuwabara follows, his aura doing the same thing.

"Keiko and my Ma are gone." His aura ripples, causing the surrounding air to shudder.

"So is my sister." Kuwabara states. Sora and Kurama freeze before tearing off. Their footsteps fade as Hiei appears.

"Yukina's gone."

0x0x0x0

The two return, pale with fury, and enter the room where the other three are, adding further to the wildly flaring auras.

The girl with black hair and silver eyes slips in; she bows to the room at large. "I apologize. This is my fault..." She murmurs. Kurama draws his whip as the other four turn; Kimi hurriedly lunges in front of the other girl.

"Get out of the way." Kurama grits out.

She locks her eyes with his and does not move.

"Kimi, this bitch is the reason-"

"If you fucking idiots want to stand here and sulk, that's your business. I, however, intend to let her finish what she was saying and use the information to get them back." The demoness snaps at Sora, then returns her attention to the incensed fox. "Go ahead. Kill us both if you think that'll save your mom." She hisses. "But I damn well guarentee that if you ever find them, they will be long past dead." There is silence for a few moments; Kurama ceases his movement to kill the girl, but his whip remains out. She ignores him and turns to the other girl. "Artemis, details please."

"I know where they are and how many they are." She states. "I apologize for dragging you and yours into this. It was not my intention..."

"Great." The demoness mutters. "As if we aren't in enough trouble with them as is..."

"I'll handle-"

"I do not trust your version of diplomatic!" The ice demoness mutters. "Anyway, lead on."

Both girls leave. They do not know if the boys are following them or not; they give no indication either way.

0x0x0x0

"So what manner of creature are we talking here?" Kimi questions.

"...vampires." Comes the hesitant reply.

"Thought so." Is the mumbled response. "How many?"

"Fifteen, counting the leader."

The other girl bites her lip, but is careful not to draw blood. "...should be fun."

Artemis's face is calm, almost mask-like in it's lack of expression. "That's a way to put it."

0x0x0x0

From Vampires: A Hunter's Guide

Vampires, like werewolves, tend to be found in packs (though the proper term is 'colonies'). They can be as small as three and as large as fifty. The size of the colony depends on the strength of the leader or co-leaders.

Leader: The strongest, oldest vampire in the colony. They are in command of every action their underlings take and can even possess them, granting them their speed and other gifts they themselves possess. Take care when handling them, for even the youngest of them is powerful. One must be to be able to completely control two or more of their kin.

Co-leaders: Alone, they are easy-almost laughably-to take down. Together they are twice as dangers as a leader of a fifty-pire colony, no matter what size their own may be. It is best to have three or four Hunters engage them, then split them up. The further apart, the less chance they can share power and work off one another.

0x0x0x0

It's official. I hate school.

"Welcome to my world." Says Kurai as I scribble my thoughts down; she read my opening line over my shoulder.

"Whaddaya mean? You have your best friend-"

"Who is popular...or at least well-liked."

"So? She-"

"Should be spending time with people who are normal."

"She obviously prefers you to them." I grumble as I erase one of my lines. The words came out all wrong...

"Why do you write stuff like this down anyway? If someone gets their hands on it..."

"It's more constructive than beating people up." I reply, then smirk. "If someone does get their hands on it, though..."

"They get beat up?"

I smirk again and resume writing; Kurai watches me, a thoughful look on her face.

-x-x-x-x-

Before anyone asks, I have no idea why the hell Kimi kept giving everyone tea...it just seemed to fit...

Anyways, enj-

Kaiba: Fishsticks.
OO;; Uhm...wth?
Kaiba: You should know! Your crazy friend stole your notebook and wrote that in it...so I had to say it...:traumatized:
...if you think that's bad, you should see-
Kaiba: NO MORE! :runs away with hands over ears:

...okaaaay. Random cameo by Kaiba. Hope you enjoyed! :shouts after Kaiba: Next I'll make you say the disclaimer!
Emma