Author's note - special thanks to Silver Spirit Fox, Graphospasm, and WorldsAngel for reviewing; Renrinrin for Favoriting; and Imagi and Panda-chan31 for Story Alerting! And another big thanks to everyone who simply decided to read this story! I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as i'm enjoying writing it! By the way, the title reads "boke" which means idiot/stupid. i'm not 100% sure i spelled it right so please forgive me! X[ i am a terrible speller in english, don't even get me started on my japanese. anyhoo, enjoy this latest chapter and if you have the time, please let me know what you think. Thanks!
Chapter 3: ぼけ!
Six months later…
Kikume watched as Shunjun sparred with his fellow SDF members. The Spirit Warrior had wavy blue hair and a large, golden hoop in each ear. He was pretty tall, with a well-toned body and the spirit power that could make even an A-class demon run screaming for his mommy. But the most noticeable feature was his eyes – sharp as a hawk and eerily yellow, they were the eyes of a warrior who didn't miss anything, especially in a fight. Shunjun wasn't given his title of being the best of the best (aka SDF's strongest fighter) for no reason.
Kikume blew her bangs out of her face in boredom as she sat on top of a pile of blue mats with one leg hanging over the edge and the other tucked under it. She was wearing a white gi and was currently taking a ten minute break. Once a month she would spar with the SDFs to make sure her skills weren't slipping. She needed to stay in tip-top shape in case any abnormally strong demons decided to be difficult with her. But really, she just saw it as an opportunity to avoid work and relax – ish.
Shunjun took down his opponent with a quick kick, knocking the man's legs out from under him. He crashed painfully onto the mat and Shunjun's palm was inches from his face before the guy could blink. The match was over, and like always, Shunjun was the winner.
Kikume clapped lazily. "Good round, Shunjun. What is that, the hundredth time in a row you've won?" drawled Kikume. "Boring!"
"Heh. Well if you're bored why don't you get off your lazy butt and try breaking my winning streak?" retorted Shunjun, wiping the sweat off his forehead. "You look like you could use a challenge."
"Feh." Kikume hopped off her stack of mat and flung her braid over her shoulder so it wouldn't get in her way. "I can take you down with my eyes closed."
"Ooh, cocky little brat. You better get ready to eat your words," he teased.
Kikume rolled her eyes. "Only if you'll eat dirt," she retorted.
Truthfully, Shunjun always beat her before she could even land a punch. True she could probably hold her own against an A-class demon long enough to get away but that was about it. However, it didn't stop Kikume from trying to wipe that arrogant smirk off the prick's face. But, as always, Kikume got in two punches and a kick before Shunjun dodged, caught her by the ankle, and knocked her flat on her back. And, just like that, the match was over.
"Want to go again?" he asked, peering down at her with a smirk on his face.
Kikume blew her bangs out of her face irritably. "Forget it. I'm done with training." She rolled over and pushed herself back onto her feet.
"You're such a sore loser, Kikume," complained Shunjun, folding his arms behind his head. "I know you can do a lot better than this. Why don't you actually try?"
Kikume snorted. "Have you ever tried fighting hand-to-hand with an A-class demon in a kimono?" she asked, with her hands on her hips.
"Of course not," said Shunjun with a no-duh look on his face.
"Exactly! All this martial arts crap you're teaching me doesn't help when I'm off ferrying souls from Demon World because my uniform is a fucking kimono! Do you know how hard it is to move in that thing?"
"Tsch. Then ask Koenma-sama to change your uniform. Don't just sit around and complain; do something. You're safety is more important than some dumb dress code," said Shunjun.
Kikume waved her hand dismissively. "Why bother? It's not like any of the demons I've met are ones I can't handle. Most are in the D-class anyways. And every few days I'll get a handful of C-class demons but that's about it. B-class demons only come around once in a blue moon; but I can take all of them with just my finger." She held out her left index finger and smiled confidently. "See? Bang! Just like that."
She winked.
Shunjun shook his head, and sighed. "You just don't get it, stupid. There are a lot stronger demons out there than those B-class scrums. A-class demons aren't demons you want to mess with, even with your abilities. They'll tear you apart."
"Well I'm sorry, oh Mighty-Warrior-of-Spirit-World, but I never actually went up against an A-class demon because those bastards don't fucking die!" Kikume huffed and hopped back onto her pile of mats and crossed her arms, scowling.
Shunjun rolled his eyes and leaned against her tower casually. "Okay, what's been bugging you, brat? You've got something on your mind that's got you all fired up about things."
"Hmphf. It's none of your business, prick," snapped Kikume with her head turned away from him and nose turned up in the air.
"Hmm, let me guess… your search in the archive isn't going too well for you?"
"No, I found a couple of methods I could try… I'm just… kinda missing something really important…" muttered Kikume, embarrassed at how she could have overlooked such a critical detail.
"What is it?"
"I… I don't know what he…" Kikume trailed off in a very quiet voice, feeling more and more embarrassed by the second and couldn't bring herself to say it in a normal tone.
But Shunjun – the annoying, nosey prick that he was – leaned in closer and had one hand behind his ear. "What? I couldn't hear you? Speak up, kid."
"Forget it! I'm not going to repeat myself," snapped Kikume as she fidgeted in embarrassment.
"Come on. If you're going to tell me, then say it clearly," said Shunjun.
"Fine! I said I don't know what the damn Fox Demon looks like, okay?" she shouted, cheeks flaming. She felt like such an idiot. Here she'd gone and spent her entire conscious existence searching for a method in removing the Fox Demon's spirit from her rightful body and she didn't even know what the damn bastard looked like! Gawk! Could she be any more stupid?
Shunjun blinked. "Is that it?" He suddenly burst into laughter. "Oh, man you're such an idiot! How could you not know what the guy looks like if he's the one you're after?"
"Shut up! It was an honest mistake! Anyone could have made it!" snapped Kikume angrily. She hated being humiliated and being laughed it. It made her so mad she wanted to hit something – like that stupid prick laughing his ass off next to her!
Kikume threw a punch at his face but Shunjun, even while laughing like a maniac, expertly dodged it, causing Kikume to lose her balance and topple off her tower of mats.
"Oof!" Kikume swore under her breath as she landed in a heap at Shunjun's feet, causing the spirit warrior to double over and start laughing twice as hard as before.
Oh he was so going to get it now, growled Kikume.
"Hey, hey, relax!" he teased as she assaulted him with a barrage of punches. But since he was taller and bigger than her, he easily held her at bay with a single hand on top of her head. "You know if you fought like this during our sparring matches than you might actually hit me."
"Shut up! I don't need to hear it from you! If you had captured that damn Fox Demon like you were supposed to then he wouldn't have escaped to the Human World and I'd be growing up as a normal human instead of living as a slave to Spirit World!"
Shunjun's smile immediately vanished, replaced with a solemn look. Guilt swept across his yellow eyes just before he looked away. It was a low blow and Kikume knew it, but she was so angry she didn't really care… well, not at first anyways.
Shunjun had personally seen to her training over the last fifteen and a half years because it had been his mistake that cost her everything. She knew he felt guilty over it and was trying to make up for it by making sure she could protect herself while in Demon World. He'd become sort of like her big brother, always watching out for her and making sure she got back safely. Hell, he'd insisted on accompanying her on her first month as a reaper just to make sure she wasn't having any troubles with the demons. But he'd soon found out that Kikume was a fast learner and a woman hell-bent on her revenge. That was the sole reason Kikume trained with the SDF – to survive long enough to get her body back.
So, in a way, Shunjun had made up for his mistake from all those years ago. He'd helped her survive and now she knew she was getting closer to her goal.
"I'm sorry, Shunjun. I didn't mean it. I don't blame you for what happened to me," she apologized, feeling her own guilt for hurting him tearing at her heart. "I'm just being a stupid, childish brat again…" she muttered.
Shunjun sighed and ruffled her bangs affectionately. "It's okay. After fifteen years of dealing with you, I know how you are. You're my favorite fiery, smart-mouth ferry girl." He smiled and she took it to mean he'd forgiven her… and maybe a little of himself.
"Thanks, though I'm not sure I should take that as a compliment…"
Shunjun chuckled.
"Though I suppose I could just ask you what he looks like," muttered Kikume to herself, returning to the original topic.
"Hmm? What are you talking about now?"
"The Fox Demon, of course! You hunted him down, right? You must know what he looks like."
"Er, yeah, I did…"
Kikume blinked. "Did? What do you mean, did?" asked Kikume, confused.
"Well, from what I heard from Koenma-sama, the bastard took on a new form when he kicked you out of your destined body. I only knew what he looked like in his demon form. But now that he's possessed a human, he could be anybody. And since the SDF don't often go to Human World, I haven't had a chance to go poking around for him," explained Shunjun.
"Aw, man!" Kikume pouted. "Just my luck..." she grumbled.
"Well, don't you know who your parents were supposed to be? Why don't you just go to their house – assuming they haven't given the bastard away or kicked him out or something…"
Kikume snorted and rolled her eyes. "Don't you think I would have if I could? Koenma won't let me anywhere near Human World and I never got a chance to see what my mom looked like. Hell, I don't even know her name. I just know what her spirit felt like – all warm and protective, full of love…"
Kikume sighed dreamily and smiled at the memory.
"That's the life I wanted. I know it would have been a wonderful life because she loved me with all her heart… But then that bastard kicked me out! Oh, I'll never forget his arrogant aura for as long as I live!" Kikume growled balling her hands into fists. "That obnoxious prick! I'll wring his stupid neck if I get the chance!"
"You mean, after you find out what he looks like, right?"
Kikume glared daggers at Shunjun. "Would you stop reminding me how stupid I am? I'm already embarrassed enough as it is!"
Shunjun ruffled her hair again, chuckling. "Relax kid. I'm just joking. Hey, why don't you just ask Koenma-sama? I'm sure he knows what's become of your body and the Spirit Fox."
Kikume sighed. "Like that baby-face dummy-head will ever tell my anything concerning my original life… He'll probably say no cause he'll suspect after he tells me, I'd go berserk and haunt the bastard to his grave or something."
Shunjun raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Would you?"
Kikume snorted. "Of course I would! I'll be his worst nightmare! Hell, I'll go into his dreams every night and make sure they're a living hell. He'll never sleep a wink for the rest of his life!"
Kikume laughed evilly as she imagined a weeping, sleep-deprived demon trudging through his human life with huge bags under his eyes. Since she didn't know what the bastard looked like, she just made him some ugly Oni demon in her imagination and imagined torturing the demon in his sleep with knives and chains and whips. She'll rip off his toe nails and sprinkle salt on the wounds; she'll tie him down and create an eagle to peck out his liver night after night; she'll pull his hair out, one by one – even his nose hair! She'll do anything to cause the bastard pain! Oh, she couldn't wait to hear him plead for her to leave him alone. It'll be just what he deserved – a lifetime of pain and suffering for stealing her body.
"I'll make him suffer," she muttered darkly under her breath, fingers twitching with anticipation of the pain and torture she was planning to deliver.
"You know, you can be one scary kid when you're set on your revenge," commented Shunjun, notably scooting a few good inches away from her.
"Exactly, so don't mess with me. Hell has no wrath like a woman hell-bent on her revenge!"
All right! Kikume was all fired up and ready to put her plans into action. First she'll go into the archives and look up all the souls that were supposed to be born fifteen years ago and begin her search from there. And once she narrowed down the list of names she'll find some way – some excuse – to go to Human World and track down the bastard. She'll hunt down his sorry ass and then haunt him until he relinquishes her body. If that doesn't work she'll try some of the other method's she'd found in the archives… though the scrolls never actually explained what happens afterwards in detail so Kikume would rather not find out the hard way at the expense of her body.
"See you later, Shunjun," she said as she suddenly dashed for the door.
"Hey! Wait!" called Shunjun.
Kikume skidded to a halt. "What?"
"The Spirit Fox – his name was Yoko Kurama. He had silver hair, gold eyes, white fox ears, and a silver tail."
Kikume smiled, grateful for that tidbit. "Thanks, Shunjun."
"One more thing. He was an A-class demon when I went after him. He probably won't be able to tap into his full demon powers now, but he can still be dangerous so watch yourself, kid. I don't want to come back one day and hear you're dead."
"Relax, you worry too much, Shunjun. I can take him." She winked and exited the room, leaving an exasperated Shunjun standing there with his hand on his hair, shaking his head.
*a/n ~ some of you might be wondering when we get to see the YYH gang so i'll just give you a heads up. they will be here very VERY soon. ;D until next time, chow!