A Month With Suichi Minamino
By Payne N. Uranus
.:AN:.
Man, I hate lying to reviewers. Even if I didn't mean to, it's still wrong. Bad Payne. BAD! (sigh) I'm feeling an overwhelming need to punish myself.
Conscience: I'm not gonna try to talk you out of it, but what is this "lie" you're going on about?
Eh, I told everyone that more training would occur this chapter. But I lied. 'Cause, even though there is training going on, it doesn't go into depth on it, or Mitsuyo. This chapter is more focused on the rift that developed between Kurama and her. So…yeah. I lied. Now I must pay.
Conscience: You know, I'm sure they'll like it anyways. So what if there isn't a lot of training it, eh? There'll be more action later on in the story. No need to fuss.
You know what, Conscience? You're not half-bad at this whole "cheering up" business. Thanks.
Conscience: Does that mean you aren't going to punish yourself? Because I can still offer my services, if you'd like.
Not that I'm not happy about that—really, I'm not—but I figured I've stalled enough. But first, THANK YOU to all that reviewed last chapter. God, you people sure know how to make a writer feel loved. Man, I love you guys, thanks, from the top of my heart (as the bottom isn't all that clean, you don't want anything down there...(cringes). Need to clean that up soon). So, with that said, on to the responses!
YuuYuu-chan: Haha, that's an awesome "When Life Gives You Lemons" joke! Thanks for sharing it!
Death101- Fox Version: (bows head) I know. I'm a horrible person. I'm sorry. But I'll make it up to you! And not just with cookies!
wolf fullmoon: (wolf-whistle) True dat, yo! Haha, sorry, I just realized I made a pun. You know, "wolf fullmoon", "wolf-whistle"...yeah, I'm weird. It's okay. Thanks for the joke!
Edilyla: Thank you! My story loves you!...or, at least, I do! (winks)
Jenna: I would love to make grape juice out of lemons. Even though I absolutely hate grape juice, it'd be a great money-maker, wouldn't you say? Haha, thank you for sharing!
Armed'n'Strangerous: You know, you should send me that shirt. Cause that's a good one too! So many ways to deal with Life Lemons, eh? Teehee.
Tiger-Eyed-Kitsune: I hope you like the chapters, then! And I KNOW! UGH, MY IMAGINATION JUST WANTS TO KILL EVERYONE! Actually, that's not really true, but I'm a horrible person...sorry! (meek) They'll all get better! This WILL have a happy ending! I swear it!
Ravenfeather42: (starts bleeding from all the pokage) Ack! (covers wounds) Sorry you were so confused! I didn't mean to make things so hard to understand. Maybe it's my brain. It's wired strangely. Don't worry, you're probably very normal compared to the weirdness that is me. =D Glad you're enjoying things now! I do intend to update as soon as possible, so enjoy the wait until then...mwahaha...
IssueshaveI: I haven't come through with my promise to talk to you, have I? Eh...sorry again. =( Life's so harsh... But in any case, I want you to know that --even if I don't answer-- you're free to talk to me whenever you need to, or want to, okay? I may be lucky enough to reply! I hope life's going well for you, and look forward to your next message/review sometime soon. And thanks for making me feel better about the chapter. You're wonderful.
angelofdarkness89: That's life for ya, eh? In any case, hope this chapter makes you feel better, about the deal between Kurama and Mitsuyo.
N. M. Marquette: o.O Eh... thank you! Thank you very much! I'm honored, really. Lol, wow, I have no idea how to accept compliments...(starts muttering to oneself) And don't worry, I officially consider "jerkish" a word now. =D
HikariStar77: As far as the new system goes, I will not be needing a Code: Lyoko beta for quite some time now, but I appreciate the response! You're awesome, and if I ever need a beta for a story involving that show, you'll be the first I'll ask! Unless I forget, in which case, could you pretty please volunteer again??? (smacks self in the face) I need a new memory. This one's broken. (cough) Wonder why.... (smacks self again for sarcastic comments) Knock it off!
blankgravity: Wow, a lot of volunteers, haha! Awesome! Unfortunately, I will not be needing a beta for a while for DBZ, though it is next on my list to fully explore after Yu Yu Hakusho! So, when the time comes, I would be honored if you'd be interested in helping me out then! If not, no worries, and I'll try really REALLY hard to remember who it was that wanted to beta for moi. Cause I can't remember shit for...shit. Yeah. Haha, and comparing me to Iaragon? Flattery will get you everywhere, buddy. =D
KiyoshiXI: Oh dear (blushes brightly) God, so many compliments, and no wit or charm to deal with them. What's a writer to do? No matter, because I love you for making me feel so...good about my writing prowess! Bwahaha...Yeah. (Clears throat) Continue reading, friend, and... live life to its fullest! (Pause) Too cheezy? Yeah, too cheezy. Need new lines...
YamiKitsuneKami: o.O (shuffles away) I didn't see anything, didn't see anything. Hahaha, that was cute. In a very violent manner...only not really? But I'm glad my apology was accepted. Now, I look foward to seeing your next review, if only to find out what you did to Yusuke and Comp. this time...hee hee hee...
The One and Only Rave: Glad you liked it! Thanks for the support, bub!
Kurama's number1 girl: I know, I know, I'm a selfish little butt-face. And a jerk. Big jerk. Lo siento! I am a grateful little git. Thanks and stay tuned for more!
PervyMonk: You like Stargate?! (fan-girl gasp) Oh dear, I love you more now. Have my babies! Or...not... Hopefully the next few chapters will please you, lovah. Enjoy the chappie and I'll speak more witcha next time!
ziggythebratt: (ducks, anticipating an attack) (looks back up) Oh boy! No attacking! Sorry for the long wait, though, I'm a bad person. Here's the chappie, enjoy!
OneOutOfControlChick: Crazy in a good way? Phew, goodie! You had me worried. =P Oh, do you really? Time flies by when you're getting married, having kids, getting old...lol. And, perhaps I should put off updating for awhile, eh? That way, we could meet (albiet under very awkward circumstances, because when I think of "forcing me to update", the thought is accompanied by a rather pointy and shiny looking object. Three guesses as to what it is.), and annoy the world into submission, overthrow the government, and RULE THE WORLD! BWAHAHA! Man, that would be scary. But cool nonetheless. And the bright side? Free Christmas presents for family members... (wink wink)
lalalanerd: Wow, Jingenji, change your name? Very nice, I like it. But the violent, spork-wielding llama? Not so nice. If I wasn't reassured that a llama does not, thankfully, have opposable thumbs in order to grasp an object such as a spork, let alone stab me in the throat and give me splinters (nasty buggers), I would be too petrified with fear to move a finger in the direction of typing something even remotely intelligible concerning the path my story is traveling. Lucky you, huh? Lol, well, thank you SO very much for the compliments, I have no idea how to express my gratitude over the internet with words, but let it be known I surely appreciate the confidence you have in my writing. Lots of love, crazy person!
psycogirl234: Yes, though I'm late, Merry Christmas you to! And I have updated, so be happy. Consider it a Happy Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday Day! Ahem, that didn't make all that much sense...
Accidental. Enlightenment: Alright, well, thanks for volunteering, however, I've managed to find myself a couple awesome betas for this show category already, but I appreciate you offering your services to lil old me. =) Hopefully you'll stick around and make sure that this story stays on track! It'd be awesome.. anyway, thanks for the support!
Darkness Shall Set You Free: Aw, you're making me blush...(clears throat). Well, on that note, I loved the review, and I'm glad you found me and my work! And the lemon joke...funny. Normally it's orange juice, but I suppose you can do so many things with such a simple line that it does good to have a strange bit of variety. Thanks for the support and enjoy the chapter!
ShadeSpirit: Yeah, sorry about the length, I kinda overcompensated for my absence. I'll probably end up going back and trying to cut it down, but maybe I won't. I dunno, we'll see. And thanks for the offer to beta! I'm really grateful so many awesome people have stepped up and all. However, I think I'm set for now, after stumbling around trying to remember pennames... So yeah, enjoy the chapter, and I'll try to make the less one...not as long? Haha, adios!
bookworm0492: Poor bookworm...Haha, it's a long story, and I don't even remember what season it was from. All I know is that it was when Carter was stranded on their ship Promeathius (or however you spell that crazy word)-- okay, the big ship thing that they made and stuff-- and she starts hallucinating and everything? Yeah, and Jack is back at home, hiding away in the men's locker room, and Teal'c goes in there to try and cheer 'em up. He says that Jack's like his brother, and Jack just stares at him, and says the quote. So yeah. I've talked enough, though, so I'll see ya next chapter! And good luck with that whole chair-tied situation you've got going there...doesn't look promising...
XNabaki-ChanX: Yes, that does sound like a...precious moment. And, no, don't worry! If anything, I enjoy long reviews even more so than average reviews, for they show the time the reviewer has put into it. But your's is most enjoyable as well. So, thanks for the support, and enjoy the chapter, ne?
TogetherAtLast: Lol, it's funny I tend to put salt on my lemons, for it makes for a deliciously sour Lemon Surprise! But that's another story entirely. But, for lack of anything else to say, again thank you for volunteering for beta-ing. The reason why I keep using the word "volunteering" is out of the hope I will somehow learn the proper way to spell it...lol. Thank you again, and have a lovely time with life!
Basic Imperfection: Yeah! It's ridiculous! I don't know, I suppose you just live with what you got, y'know? Good luck inspiring more readers to review, it's a rough situation... Thanks for the support! Hope you like this chapter. =) (haha, speaking of reviews...)
Roashiki: Thank you, and a belated Merry Christmas to you, too! Peace out, yo!
Meibou: Haha, they did! I could taste the love you put in them. (winks) Yes, Touya was there... unfortunately for him, right? Guh, I'm so mean to that guy, haha! I've purposefully left him out of the better part of the chapter because he will play a bigger role later on. Cross your fingers for him!
Kajihenge Yoko: No, Jin is not dead. =) Nor is Touya. And, yes, Kurama failing is practically unheard of, and therefore should be treasured when the rare moment passes! Mwahaha! (more evil laughter) Mwahaha! Haha! Ha!...I'm done.
Blehh: Teehee, Kurama's special, we can let him have a bit of mean time, right? Right?...Or not. (covers mouth) Did I give it away? Teehee, I love teasing you guys...
Random person: Well, thank you very much! I'm glad to hear that. Enjoy the chapter, ne?
Yoru Inu: (blinks) Um, which part was the nickname? Haha, cause that'd be a long name to give someone...Thank you for the offer, I'll hold you to it someday. Good to hear from you, and hoping to talk with ya again soon!
LyricalPrincess: Lol, cool! Thank you for the lemon joke (loved it lots), and I'm glad your computer came back from the Gay Side (very bad reference to Star Wars, btw) in order to allow you to review. Caio!
PopTartAddict: Haha, a beta is just someone who reads over a story and corrects/makes suggetions/whatever is necessary to make it better. No, you're not stupid. It took me a while to learn all them fancy greek words (wait...that is greek, right?) Thanks for the support! You rock, buuuuddy!
lizzieXmarieXyoukai: Eh... the last joke is ouchie. But thank you for sharing! And so many compliments! I don't know what to say to you people other than "Thank you", "Thank you", aaaaand...uh, "THANK YOU!" Caio for now, lovely reader, and enjoy the next installment! Oooh, big word...
Conscience: (blank stare) You'recommunication skills are nay admirable.
Compared to you? Hardly. Who uses the word "nay"? But yeah, it's time for the chapter now! YAY!
Conscience: (waving little flag) Yay…
Chapter 17: Between the Lines
Lunch talk died down fairly quickly after the initial joy of having a decent meal fed to the group. Everyone dispersed not too long afterwards, going off to do their own things like training, laying around, and cleaning up the mess in the dining area. Mitsuyo, being unable to swallow her pride and ask for advice from Genkai, went back outside with the short fire demon and resumed her training…or what she assumed was training, since all she did was fall on her face and fail to do anything resembling a defensive maneuver against her teacher's wrath. Genkai watched the session from inside the temple with a perturbed expression on her face. It wasn't long before Mitsuyo was dragged back inside by the old psychic, all the while muttering profanities about how incompetent the girl was under her breath.
Kurama had observed the sessions as well, though he didn't say anything to Mitsuyo when Genkai hauled her into the main temple room for another "helpful" chat. He had been taking notes on how she reacted when Hiei attacked from different directions. If the sword was meant to sweep her off her feet, she would jump hysterically, or hold out her own sword to block. When he aimed above her waist, she would let out a sharp yelp, and then duck instantly, as if no coherent thought or order could make its way from her brain to her body before she acted. And she would do nothing to find her opponent besides swiveling around and holding the blade out in front of her like some sort of ward, and would then end up being thrown to the ground.
This would then result into being pulled back into the safety of the old hermit's compound.
To say this happened only a few times would be an understatement. Hiei was ready to throw his sword into the nearest tree and stomp off—something that he never planned on doing in his life, as it was immature and pathetic. Not to mention the fact that Genkai's wrinkly face seemed even more strained after every conversation with the stubborn teen, watching her march back outside to the grumpy fire demon only to be lugged back inside the temple for another talk.
"Stop holding your elbows so high!"
"That stance leaves too many open spots, giving your opponent the perfect way to defeat you!"
"Do you have no brain in that head of yours, girl?"
"For God's sake, girl, move your feet!"
"The point is to not fall on your ass, damn it! Is that so hard to understand?"
"RUNNING FROM YOUR ENEMY DOES NOTHING!"
"For crying out loud!" Mitsuyo finally screamed in frustration. "Stop telling me what NOT to do and start telling me what the hell I AM suppose to do!"
"Genkai," Kurama broke in before the worn tutor could reply. The two women glanced at him, irritated flames of rage burning in their eyes. Slightly unnerved at how similar the glares were, the redhead did his best to ignore them and continue, "Perhaps I could have a brief discussion with Mitsuyo concerning her training. Alone, if you please."
Genkai simply folded her arms behind her back and stalked out of the room, still muttering something along the lines, "Honestly, this is a waste of my time, I could be training someone worthy of my talents, but I always seem to be stuck with incompetent fools…"
The two let Genkai grumble as she left, caught up in their own staring contest, only Kurama's gaze was filled with patience instead of anger. Mitsuyo was finding it hard not to throw a tantrum right then and there. It wasn't fair to make her go through this. She wasn't a demon, she never was a demon, nor did she have any interest in martial arts beyond the joy of beating another person up in a videogame. And yet here she was, thrown into this deal like the power was going to just spring to her fingertips when the going got tough. So what if Mitsuyo was in perfect shape? So what if she had amazing spiritual powers—ignoring the fact she couldn't really access it? She had absolutely no idea what the hell she was doing. Not to mention that the one person that she knew—the very same person that brought her into this mess in the first place—and the only person, it seemed, that she held any respect for, had suddenly gone cold.
Life couldn't be that cruel to her.
Kurama was thinking along similar lines. Each look they shared throughout the day was enough to make his resolve…dissolve, and his hate for the situation they now found themselves in continued to grow. To think that he was having trouble dismissing her existence for a day was ridiculous…not even one day. It was barely past four in the afternoon, and he had made his pledge only twelve hours earlier.
"What exactly am I suppose to do?" Mitsuyo finally exploded after a few moments of silence. "I'm fighting completely blind out there! I'm not learning anything other than when you're around Midget Monkey"—she waved her arm haphazardly in the general direction of Hiei—"you better run like hell towards the nearest hospital before you lose something more than your ability to stand on two feet! For God's sake, it's like you think I have some hidden talent that will show itself once I'm down and dirty! IN CASE YOU FORGOT, I'M NOTHING SPECIAL! THAT ENERGY INSIDE ME IS SPIRITUALLY LOCKED AWAY! REMEMBER? Yeah, the closest I ever got to killing something was when I was shaking a bag with a goldfish in it that I got for my fifth birthday. Hard to believe? Same here! I QUIT!" She finished with a scream, and started to stomp her way towards the door.
"Mitsuyo," Kurama interrupted calmly.
"WHAT?" the giril snapped, whipping around so quickly that her loose hair fell into her face. Her face was flushed from her yelling, and her clothes had a disheveled look to them from her training and the paroxysm she just had.
"Mitsuyo. I will tell you what you need to know," he walked up to her, meeting her gaze with a steely stare of his own. Mentally, the redhead had to repeat to himself not to get lost into her swirling brown pools of emotion, for he knew that if he did, all control and oaths would be forgotten. However, against his will, Kurama's hand rose to brush the stray tresses from marring her hurt expression. Neither spoke until the task was finished, and when he mind was ready to withdraw his hand, his body disregarded the command, and instead cupped her chin.
"I see how your body reacts to assault, Mitsuyo. You flinch; you duck. You act without thinking, letting your instincts take over. All rational thoughts leave you, and I know that even if you knew how to protect yourself, you would still have to fight off those urges. I know that. What I don't know is… why? To gain such a response would mean that you've been submitted to this sort of harassment, and therefore developed this reaction. I could help you overcome it…if you will share the memory with me."
Her eyes started to glaze over in tears, shaking her head and pulling away from his touch. She was fighting back tears, having too much pride to cry in front of him. Only her family had seen her shed anything remotely close to a tear, and she wanted it to stay that way. Kurama's speech, however, proved to be difficult to fight, as what he spoke was the truth.
"I…I can't…" Mitsuyo whimpered, all the anger she had stored up dissipating immediately. "Kurama, don't make me…"
The fox smiled sadly, his heart sinking deep into his chest. Perhaps there was a spot of mystery in this girl in front of him after all, something that had nothing to do with her earlier secret of being a male student at school.
"Very well," Kurama relented, letting his hand drop back to his side. "However, we cannot continue your training in such a manner until you tell me."
Mitsuyo opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off just as quickly, "So, until you feel comfortable to divulge such an experience with me, we'll simply have to change a few things. I'll talk with Hiei about it later on."
Her lips pressed together again, forming a reluctant smile. Nodding her head, Mitsuyo locked her hands together behind her back, and starting shuffling her feet shyly. Kurama's own mouth twitched upwards charmingly, before turning away to stare out of the open temple doors at the dark, yet soothing sky. The silence struck her now that the conversation seemed to come to a standstill, and Mitsuyo nibbled her bottom lip nervously. Now that she finally was forced to be in the same room with the redhead, alone, with nothing too important to discuss, she wanted to confront him on why he was acting so strangely towards her, and she really didn't want to screw up and make him madder at her than he was already.
"Eh…Kurama…" she started uneasily.
"Yes?" he inquired, giving her a sideways glance. "What is it?"
"Well…it's just that…I was sort of wondering… why…?" It was like Mitsuyo's jaws weren't getting the message. Her mind knew what to say, and her mouth was working just fine, but somewhere between the two, what she wanted to say was getting scrambled.
"Why what?" Kurama pressed curiously.
"Why…" she forced out, trying to make her tongue form the right words. "Why… Why is Hiei so short?"
Okay…not exactly what she wanted to say, but…close enough.
Kurama stared at her unblinkingly with an unreadable expression on his masked face. One hand was still in his pocket, while the other dangled casually by his side. The wind was playing with his long, fiery mane, making it fall into his face every once in a while, but he was unaffected.
Mitsuyo was frozen in place, her back stiff and muscles tensed from anticipating his reaction to her ridiculous query. Toying with her hair as well, the breeze didn't seem to want to leave any loose clothing or object untouched. The two simply stood there in the silent room, eyes locked, and let the wind do what it chose with whatever it wished for what seemed like hours to the girl.
And then it was like her heart melted.
Kurama smiled. A true, genuine smile—the first all day. After the morning's events, Mitsuyo wasn't sure if she'd ever see it again. Funny, how simple things like that manage to grow on people, as only a couple days before, Mitsuyo would've wanted to tear that expression off his face and out of his mind for the rest of eternity.
"I'll see you in a while, Mitsuyo," he said, turning to the doorway that Genkai had walked through before the conversation began. "In the meantime, take this period of rest to sort your thoughts. I can see in your eyes that your mind is rather restless at the moment."
She nodded dumbly, watching him leave for a moment before starting to head in the opposite direction.
Honestly, what is that girl thinking, Kurama mused with an amused shake of his head. Asking about Hiei's height… He chuckled at the thought.
The hand that wasn't stored away in his pants started to drift to the opposite pocket, when he felt a small, irregular bulge coming from the deepest corners of the fabric.
"Wha…?" the fox murmured in confusion, but then it clicked, and there was no need to finish.
Mitsuyo was almost out of the door when he called her back in a very cool manner.
"Wait a minute more, Mitsuyo."
Looking over her shoulder, she found him walking towards her with his hand digging in his pocket intently. Kurama was a mere three steps away from her when he stopped and withdrew a clasped fist from the pouch.
"Here," the redhead offered calmly, holding his hand out to her. Uncertainly, she met him halfway, and into her outstretched palm was the most beautiful necklace Mitsuyo had ever seen. The jewels were shinning up at her brightly, even with the poor lighting the room gave it. She could barely make out markings on each stone, but decided that it was some sort of charm necklace. "For good luck," Kurama explained her unasked question. "Not that I believe you need it, but…consider it a small trinket of comfort whenever you may require it."
"Wow…" the girl gaped openly, fingering each individual gem with awe and wonder. "Thank you…I…I really have no idea what to say," she let loose a small, disbelieving giggle. "I've never really gotten jewelry from anyone other than family, and even then it wasn't something so…wow…it's…it's really…"
"Beautiful?" Kurama supplied in a detached tone.
"Shiny."
Once again, his lips twitched at the hilarity her personality provided him, but instead the fox said seriously, "I don't want to make you worry or anything of the sort, but I need you give me your word that under no circumstances will you remove this necklace."
Mitsuyo's brows furrowed at the unusual pledge he was asking of her, but slowly, she spoke strongly, "I promise."
Composedly nodding his thanks, Kurama showed her his back and walked away again, with the full intention of making it out of the room this time.
Mitsuyo wanted to question him on why she wasn't allowed to take the necklace off, and his suddenly loftiness, but her eyes kept catching the sheen the gems gave off, and her train of thought would die.
After all, it was really shiny…
~`*`~
That Night...
~`*`~
All was still in the trees, the cold, insistent breeze pressing into stiff objects in the foliage every now and then. The soft scuff of loose leaves scuttling across the hard forest floors were like gentle secrets of surrender the wind whispered to the trunks of the trees. Not a creature of the night made a noise, the biting cold that swept through the woods discouraging them from moving, as well as the delicate shine of the moon overhead catching even the slightest rustle the breeze left behind.
However, one being stood alone, on the thickest branch of the tallest tree. Dressed in the blue uniform belonging to the Shinobi sect, he stared down at the compound a few miles away from his position with cold, disgusted look. The bitter wind caught at any spare clothing at was not clinging to his body, but he made no move that showed discomfort. The focus of his glare was stern and unwavering, so the wind died down, deciding it was defeated in the contest of wills. With one hand pressed again the solid tree, the other hanging by his side, he waited and observed, just as his orders demanded him to.
Laughter of the voices inside the temple drifted into his ears, registering with a pungent taste of satisfaction. The Sprit Detective and his gang were nervous—he could hear it in the tense pitch of their conversations. That was good; they should be worried. Master Akio was right in that the note would throw them off-balance, and it would make them easier to take the girl and do away with the rest.
Finally, he sighed, and turned his head away, the first sign of movement he had displayed while standing his ground that night. Something in his mind was making him restless. It had been nagging at him all night, and he didn't know why. All he knew was that there was a voice in his mind telling him this wasn't right. The guilt he had managed to fight off since he left the base was leaking out of his grasp, and he bowed his head in confusion.
His body was tensing, a small prick in the back of his mind digging into his consciousness with vigor, and he had to fight a wince. The fist at his side was twitching, and his eyes snapped open—sight was hazy.
This…no, whatever it was, it wasn't good.
Narrowing his eyes, he mentally shoved the feeling back roughly, and relaxed when the pain dispersed quickly. It was a strange feeling, but he would try to ignore it. Perhaps he would talk to Mister Akio about it later; his master would make the pain disappear for good, this he knew.
Feeling as though he had stayed long enough, shot one last look at the temple before flitting away, back to his master to deliver the news of his mission.
~`*`~
With Mrs. Minamino and Mr. Hatakana...
~`*`~
The swift breeze on the ocean was much more friendly, especially towards the passengers on the S.S. Kyouki, the cruise ship heading southward from Japan to one of the smaller islands around its borders.
Dim lantern lights were strung about the deck, where laughing and dancing was taking place, the muted salsa music drowned out every once in a while by the breaking waves as they came in contact with the ship's exterior. The people aboard the cruise liner were ecstatic with their vacation from whatever it was in their life they were taking time off from.
Two adults in particular looked like they were having an exceptionally enjoyable time as they danced, one twirling the other as peels of laughter escaped their lips. Perhaps it was due to the large doses of alcohol the duo had consumed a few hours ago, or maybe they were simply drunk off the presence of each other, but their dance was a bit sloppy, one partner tipping one way as the other tipped the other, and ended up tripping or slipping. However, each mess-up was brushed off with a laugh and the two continued dancing where they had left off. But, after a while, the activity was taking its toll, so, standing by the sidelines, they fought the urge to plop down into the nearest chair, and opted to simply catch their breath.
"Oh, honey, I think I need a break," the smaller, more feminine being gasped out between giggles. "I'm feeling a bit dizzy; just give me a minute to catch my breath."
"No, of course, take your time!" her partner exclaimed, trying to regain control of his irregular breathing without drawing the attention of his better half. "Don't feel the need to rush any time soon…"
She laughed at his fake grimace as he clasped his back, feigning pain. Brushing a strand of hair from her slightly sweating brow, she offered in what she hoped not to be a mocking tone, "Sorry, dear, are you feeling a bit restless? Or did I wear you out too early?"
Between the deep breath he was taking in, he had to chuckle at her hidden innuendo, and admitted, "To be frank, I never expected dancing with you could be so exhilarating. But I'm fine; I just need a few seconds to collect myself."
He watched his partner grin out of the corner of his eye, and he could've sworn a flash of satisfaction cross her face. Now, the male ego inside of him protested loudly, telling him to say something to put him on the superior end, but he chose to ignore it. Deciding instead to humor her, he added in a warm tone, "Why didn't you tell me what an amazing dancer you were, Shiori?"
Stretching her back muscles, she smiled in a much gentler fashion and replied with an off-handed gesture, "You never asked, and I didn't think you would need to know until the time came."
"So, what, two hours ago when I first asked you for a dance didn't seem like a good time to tell me?" he joked.
"Well, it didn't seem to be a good time to start a conversation over it, no," Shiori answered, and seeing him open his mouth to argue, she interrupted him by adding, "And don't say you wouldn't start a conversation about it. You would and you know it—I know you too well."
Hatanaka scratched head sheepishly, realizing she was telling the truth. Blame the businessman in him to want to know details about everything, no matter if it was about dancing or how to cook gingerbread cookies.
Leaning closer to him, Shiori whispered in a teasing tone, "Besides, you seemed so confident in your own skills that I didn't want to bring you down from your throne by bragging."
"Too true," he agreed, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Honestly, I feel less sure about them now after seeing you perform. Whoo!"
"Ah, darling," she giggled, "let's just enjoy the time have left…oh, dear, how much time do we have left?"
"Hmm..." Hatanaka thought, brow furrowing in thought. Looking down at his watch, though it didn't help him as much as he wished it would have, he answered hesitantly, "I'm thinking a week, give or take a day or two."
Shiori sighed. "I have to admit," she confessed shyly. "This is the most fun I've had in a while. Thank you for this trip, it was beautiful, honey."
"Was? That mean it isn't anymore?" he joked, but continued on when his tone favored a more thoughtful pitch. "I wasn't so sure when I bought the tickets, really. You seemed to be so comfortable at home with your son and your job that I didn't think you would want to leave, even if it was temporary and Suichi was old enough to take care of himself. I'm glad you did, though."
Sighing again, she responded in a slightly guilty voice, "So am I. Don't get me wrong, I love my son to death, but it's nice to have… different male company every once in while. Suichi means well, but it's unnerving to have such a flawless teenager." She paused, giving her date a side-long look, and laughed, only this was bitterer than it was before. "Look at me, complaining about having the perfect child. Other mothers would kill to have it as easy as I do. Maybe I'm being silly, but raising Suichi was effortless on my part. He seemed so grown-up and mature, even when he was a toddler! When I would go to pick him up from school, I couldn't help but notice how independent he acted compared to the other children on the playground. While some would entertain themselves with balls or toys from home, he would be on the other side of the park, observing flowers or simply reading a book. No matter what, he just seemed different."
Noting how she was falling into a solemn mood, Hatanaka walked behind her and wrapped his arms gently around her waist, smiling when he felt her lean into his embrace gratefully. Resting his chin on her shoulder, the bispecticled man consoled, "No child is alike, Shiori. You shouldn't worry about him, nor should you try to find something wrong with him. He is different, Shiori. He's your son, not anyone else's. And I consider that to be a special factor when it comes to him."
The young mother gave into a grin that was fighting to escape her lips, and simple said softly, "I know that. And I don't mean to compare, it's just that I've always heard that teenaged boys are supposed to be incorrigible—running off with their friends late into the night, flirting left and right with any female with a pulse…eating me out of house and home." Both shared a brief laugh with her statement, but it quickly died when she continued talking, "But Suichi's nothing like that. He's kind…considerate. Observant, too. He always seems to know when something's wrong. He's polite and charming, but even with that and his good looks; I've never seen him hung over a girl. The other way around, however…" She sighed. "I suppose I just expected some sort of catch, possibly a problem that was unusual because he was unusual. I haven't found it yet."
Feeling that she needed a bit of comfort, Hatanaka bent his head and gave a light, comforting kiss on her shoulder before returning to his previous position.
"Don't worry too much about it, hun," he consoled with a light tone. "There's nothing you can really do about it right now, except to call him up now and sign him up for counseling. But something tells me that you don't want nor need to do that yet, if at all. If and when this unusual problem of his shows itself, we'll deal with it then. But until that time comes…we can only give our unwavering support for him, and continue to guide him into adulthood."
"You're right," Shiori groaned pitifully. "I guess I don't want to just yet. It feels like it—"
"Was just yesterday that you were feeding him with a bottle, and changing his diapers," he finished. Seeing the surprised look on her face, Hatanaka had to grin. "I've got a son, too, remember. And it goes double for me."
"Here we are talking about my boy when you have a perfectly beautiful child yourself," Shiori chided. "And there you went, letting me forget about him for a minute there."
"Forget about Suichi? Never," the bispecticled man responded in a shocked tone. "I wonder what the two of them are doing right now."
"We'll ask them all about it when we get home," Shiori answered with a playful laugh. Shifting out of his grip, she held his hand, leading him back into the cabin area with a small smile. It was like it was stuck on her face when she was with him. "Right now, I'm in the mood for some food, how about you?"
Hatanaka nodded in agreement, and followed her with a musing grin on his own lips. When she turned around, he discreetly let his other hand fall into his pants pocket, feeling the small, square lump that occupied the space. Fingering it lightly, the pads of his digits sliding across its top, his smile only grew.
~`*`~
With the Gang...
~`*`~
Dinner conversations slowly started dying down when the food was gone. Yusuke and Kuwabara, too busy groaning about their over-stuffed stomachs, laid spread-eagled on the smooth wooden floors of the dojo. Genkai had pulled Mitsuyo to the side to give her another lesson on how to defend herself, which didn't seem to be going well as both their faces were twisted into glares and their voices were rising. Yukina had gone back into the kitchen to wash the dishes, and Kurama stood to offer her his assistance.
However, he was stopped by a sharp command from Hiei, who was still window-benched on the other side of the room.
"Kurama," he said in an edgy tone. "Come here."
Bowing his apologies to the young ice maiden, he turned away and quietly strode over to the fire demon's side. Kurama recognized the manner in which Hiei spoke, and knew it would be best not to react until he knew exactly what was bothering him.
"What is it, Hiei?" he asked when he got close, voice discreet and light.
Hiei, not removing his gaze from the picture outside, replied with a simple, "What do you see out there?"
Brow furrowing, Kurama knelt down and looked over Hiei's shoulder with puzzlement. His confusion grew more when he saw that it was as dark as night outside, when it could only be two in the afternoon. With what looked like storm clouds overhead, and the strong breeze of the wind pushing against the weaker branches, Kurama had to guess that bad weather decided to drop in for a visit.
"It would seem that a storm is approaching," Kurama answered with an air of carelessness. "Nothing to worry about."
"Will this not delay the training of the girl?" Hiei asked, giving his companion a side-long glance.
"It will. We can meditate inside for tonight," the fox answered with a decisive tone. "Her test will have to be made-up tomorrow."
"She learned nothing that needs to be tested for proficiency," Hiei scoffed. "All she did was fall and get back up again with every hit. I'd love to say I was impressed, but I'm not one to lie."
"Yes…but what exactly did you tell her to do?"
"Defend herself in what she believed to be the right way," Hiei answered, not missing a beat. "But she seemed to think that the right way was to leave herself completely open to an attack. That, or she screams and falls to the ground without my aid."
Kurama looked thoughtful, and said in a musing tone, "I suppose we should focus on that for our next session, hm?"
As he made to stand up and walk away, Hiei called to him, still facing the window. "Kurama."
Turning around, the redhead gave the back of his friend a questioning look.
"You're being foolish, you know."
Kurama didn't answer, but simply walked back to the table to help Yukina clear the last dishes from lunch, and disappeared into the kitchen.
Hiei watched his departure inconspicuously, his eyes holding not rage or boredom, but pity and frustration. Facing the window, he folded his arms more securely across his chest and hmphed. The clouds only rumbled in reply, shifting until the peak of the moon shone through the gap it left.
"Fool," he huffed.
Meanwhile, Mitsuyo was done with her little banter with the temple hermit, and was released as she went off to start bugging the two human floor-carpets.
"Yusuke! Kuwabara! Come with me, please," Genkai barked roughly from the other side of the room, leading the two grumbling boys out into the pasture nestled behind the temple. After all, they were use to harsh treatment, and a little rain would do them good with what she had planned for them. Yusuke was still rubbling his stomach, but reluctantly followed the old woman out the back door with Kuwabara not far behind him.
Mitsuyo couldn't help but laugh at their pouting expressions, however quickly stopped and offered to assist Yukina after seeing her struggle to balance the dinner dishes in her hands. "Here, let me help," she offered warmly, taking some of the more-unstable dishware out of her arms. "Don't need to go breaking things."
"Oh, thank you, Miss Kajima," Mitsuyo's eye twitched, "you're too kind."
To be perfectly honest, Mitsuyo wasn't use to being described as "kind". The right word would've been along the lines of "rambunctious", "wily" and…well, "obnoxious" also worked well enough. But she just smiled and walked into the kitchen, feeling much better about herself and the fact that she helped someone instead of hampering whatever they were doing.
Of course, that feeling disappeared, not to mention the strength in her arms, when she saw a certain redhead at the sink, washing dishes, and almost dropped her own stack onto the floor.
"Uh…well… Hey, Kurama," she greeted warily. "I didn't know you were in here…"
"Afternoon, Miss Kajima," Kurama said with a small smile. "You may want to put those dishes down—you're arms are shaking."
"Heh, yeah, right," she agreed in a slightly trembling voice, setting the load in her hands on the counter -- as far away from Kurama so as to keep her distance, but close enough for Kurama to reach it easily -- before backing away. "Well, Yukina, I think Kurama is more than enough help for you, so I'll just be going now."
She almost made it out of the room before Kurama called her back.
"On the contrary, Mitsuyo," he said in a light tone. "I would appreciate it if you would help me with the drying. That way, the job will get done faster, wouldn't you agree?"
Gritting her teeth, she was tempted to decline with as much rudeness she could muster, but looking at Yukina's smiling face out of the corner of her eye, the urge died. After all, she didn't want to make the only person considering her "kind" think she had misjudged.
So, Mitsuyo swallowed her pride, and pasted on a fake smile, saying in a manner not unlike Kurama, "Good point, I'll do just that, Kurama, thank you."
Grinning politely, he said, "No, thank you, Mitsuyo."
"No, the praise goes to you, Almighty Housekeep-Helper."
"Quite the opposite, Miss Kajima, the commendation surely belongs to you."
Oh, so he wants to play that game, eh? Mitsuyo thought in her head. We'll see who gets the last say.
"On the contrary, Kurama," she imitated, and she swore she saw a flash of amusement in his emerald pools. "Chances are I would've just gone off to do something unproductive had you not said anything. This way, I'm actually doing something helpful, instead of standing back and watching. So, thank you."
"But Mitsuyo, you were right in thinking that Yukina and I were enough to take care of the dishes. Even if I did insist, you didn't need to consent. But you did—my thanks to you."
"You're being too lenient, Kurama, I am, after all, a crazy teen who doesn't do anything significant. I'm causing trouble for you all, and this way, it makes me think I'm doing something useful. Because you persuaded me with your wise knowledge, I agreed to help you instead of wasting away in the corner until you were done."
Kurama gave her a hard, lingering stare, noting that she was no longer talking about the chore he had long stopped executing. He opened his mouth, and spoke slowly, as if coming to a realization as to what she was talking about.
"Mitsuyo, this task will be much easier to accomplish if we have your assistance. True, you could simply leave us be, and the job would get done the same. But, if you were to assist us, then it would be done more efficiently, and we would then be able to do things we otherwise wouldn't have had the opportunity to do. If you choose to help, then it would be most appreciated. After all, why waste an able hand on something meaningless?"
Yukina stood between them, glancing at one, then the other, before speaking up in what Mitsuyo assumed to be a light tone, "Well, I think you two have some things to talk over, so I'll go wipe off the table for now. Call if you need help!"
She brushed past Mitsuyo on the way out, giving her a quick, apologetic look, before whisking around the corner and out of sight.
Kurama and Mitsuyo had a small stare-down, his eyes shinning with sadness and guilt, while hers seemed to simmer with barely tamed frustration and anxiety. They stayed that way for what seemed like hours, drowning in each other's eyes. Kurama's hands were still buried in the soapy water filling the basin of the sink, and Mitsuyo's wouldn't release the grip they had on her pant legs.
Finally, finding the silence unbearable—or was it the look in his eyes?—Mitsuyo spoke, her voice breaking slightly, "Kurama…I think I should just go…I-I mean…"
Kurama immediately let whatever he was holding in his hands drop into the sink, pulling them out and walking towards her in hurried steps. He hadn't even bothered—no, he hadn't even thought about—drying his hands as he swept her into a soothing hug, doing his best to smother whatever thoughts the girl in his arms was having with his passionate embrace. Burying his nose into her neck, he inhaled, slowly.
She does smell like rain, he confirmed off-handedly, and spoke in a soft, reassuring tone, "I apologize, Mitsuyo. I'm terribly sorry; I didn't mean to make you think that I held odious feelings towards you. Forgive me…please."
He drew back and looked her in the eye, as if willing her to believe him.
"I…I have no idea what you just said," she told him truthfully, giving into a small smile. "I was just afraid that I had done something that got you mad…o-or something—"
"Trust me when I say, nothing you could ever do would make me mad enough to distance myself from you like I did today," he cut off, giving what he hoped to be an encouraging smile.
Mitsuyo herself was surprised and slightly happy finding that she hadn't done anything to make Kurama hate her, and pulled him into another hug. She had to admit, she loved the smell of roses when it came from him.
"So we're good?" she asked him from her nestled position against his chest.
"Yes," he answered faintly, staring ahead of him with a musing look taking over his facial features. "But, Mitsuyo…I'm afraid I won't be as close to you as I've been for the past few days."
"That's okay," she assured with a sad grin. "As long as you aren't angry with me, I can live with that."
She pulled away rather reluctantly, and started to walk out of the kitchen when his voice pulled her back.
"You're not going to inquire why?"
Looking at him over her shoulder, she gave an innocent smirk, and replied, "I could…but why would I need to know? If I needed to, you would've told me. You didn't offer the information, so I won't ask for it. Besides, I figure you're doing what you think is best. I don't want to give you trouble over that."
He opened his mouth to question her further, but had to stop. Her reasoning was well put, and it was true that it would be easier that she didn't know. Then again, he had thought the same thing when he executed the plan the first time, and it ended up upsetting her. But there's difference this time, he countered in his mind. She approves of it…and therefore it makes it alright.
She's maturing faster than I expected, Kurama thought with a satisfied beam. I dare say I'm…proud…of her.
Seeing that she had yet to move from where he had stopped her, the redhead instead told her, "A storm's approaching outside. We'll be using the main temple room for our meditation session this afternoon. If it doesn't clear up in time, Genkai's first test will have to be combined with tomorrow's. You go ahead and take care of any preparations you may have beforehand, such as changing into a more suitable outfit. I'll join you momentarily."
She nodded in understanding, and continued walking away. Kurama watched her leave, following behind her until he reached the doorway bridging the kitchen to the room where the rest of the gang rested. Not really sure why, his eyes drifted to the space by the window, finding it vacant of any signs of its previous occupant.
Allowing himself another small smile, he retraced his steps, and once again started up washing the dishes. That smile stuck with him for a long while, as he continued to relive inhaling her intoxicating scent, and the feeling of having her in his embrace.
That is, until Kurama realized one confusing fact.
"Why is it," the redhead said aloud to no one in particular, "that this assignment started out with three people…and yet I find myself completing it alone?"
~`*`~
The fox did it again.
A metal clang as his sword met another.
Those pathetic emotions.
A cry fed his hungry ears.
He gave into them.
The thump of a body coming into contact with the ground.
Why does he get himself into such problems?
Blood splattered at his feet.
Why submit oneself to such foolishness?
Another demon falling to pieces before his black boots.
Why?
Lithely, Hiei rose from his crouched position with an indifferent look on his face when he observed the mess he made of a demon he had met in the forest just outside of Genkai's temple. The apparition may have been considered strong among those that resided in the leafy depths of the woods, but it was no match for him and his power. With a clean, wide, swift swipe at the air, the demon blood lining his blade was gone and Hiei fluidly sheathed it once more. Perhaps he didn't need to kill it. There was a chance he could've just let it live. But Hiei was not one for mercy, nor was he one to turn down a challenge.
Not once in his mind did he consider himself to be a demon bully when he accepted this challenge while knowing the inferior power the demon held compared to his own.
With a soft 'hn', he turned away and continued his musing walk like he had planned.
Sometimes, he wished that Kurama would just stay one way so that he could have the comfort in knowing the teen could never surprise him. Sometimes, he wished that his humanity was something that could be put away, only to be withdrawn when it was truly needed… and ignored when it wasn't.
Sometimes, he really hated the fox for making his head hurt so much.
All these emotions…yes, he felt them. Yes, he acknowledged them. But act on them? Not necessarily. He would never understand why such feelings were unbearable. The only ones he knew that could cause such pain was physical injury or anger. Any others were weak in his mind.
Hn.
Maybe it was a human thing.
~`*`~
"Okay, Yusuke," he gasped to himself. "Just keep breathing….breathe…just breathe…oh, man, I hate running…breathe…breathe…move…move…run…run…shit…shit…cramp…cramp…ow…ow…I hate you…Grandma…"
"Shut up and focus, Dimwit," she answered offhandedly.
He was currently weaving through the trees of the demon forest, on the opposite side of where Hiei was having his little walk. He was having a bit of trouble, too, considering Genkai was sitting on him…with a boulder or two strapped to each of his limbs and back—of which Genkai perched herself—that were unbelievably dense.
"Making me do this after a meal, what the hell is wrong with you?" Yusuke growled out between pants.
"Plenty of things, but I fear I'll die from the lack of patience with explaining them to you, so I figure I'll let you use your imagination. It might make you live longer."
"Where the hell did you find such heavy rocks, you dirty hag?" he rushed out before sucking in another deep breath, choosing to ignore the stab at his pride and (questionable) intelligence.
"I've had them lying around, prepared and waiting for you to finish your training," she answered, lazily tapping her finger with her tongue, flipping through the magazine in her hand.
"Ah," he replied in a strained light tone, just barely grazing by the trunk of a large oak. "That was nice of you."
"Considering what I could have given you instead, yes, I am very nice. Now run."
"What's it look like I'm doing, you old power monger?"
"Flapping your yap, you incorrigible, foolish child. Just do as I say."
"Fine, fine… And what did you stick Kuwabara with, huh?" Yusuke growled at her breathlessly.
"He's practicing hitting a moving target with his Spirit Sword," she answered offhandedly, eyes trained on the article before her.
"Ah."
Computing…
Yusuke's whole body tensed with dread as he whipped his head around to stare blankly at his teacher. "Eh…Genkai? The moving target wouldn't happen to be—"
The sight behind him was enough of an answer.
He managed to let out a small "eep" before the combined force of Genkai leaping off of his body and the shimmering whip of Kuwabara's spirit energy sent him sliding ruthlessly through the forest's particularly rocky floor. Dust whipped around him in a dizzying hurricane, getting into his stinging eyes and stuck to his sweaty face and body parts (some not appropriate to mention).
It's truly amazing where grains of gravel can end up.
After the initial whirlwind died down, Yusuke found himself jammed into the ground chest-down by the crushing force of the special boulders on his back and corresponding appendages. He could've sworn the world was spinning, and so did his full stomach. So it's fairly easy to understand his reaction when the world finally stopped spinning.
"Ohhh…the tank's unhappy…"
Genkai stood beside him with an indifferent look on her face, arms crossed behind her back. Her magazine was gone—how unfortunate—but she didn't seem to particularly mind.
"You should have listened to me when I told you to pay attention to your training." She left him with those words, seemingly forgetting to help him out of his situation like he was hoping she would.
"I hit 'em, I hit 'em," came Kuwabara's singing voice, which was becoming less distant by the chant, and by the fifth repetition, he was performing a rather ridiculous victory dance just by Yusuke's flattened and pinned elbow.
Yusuke groaned again.
His friend's joyous face was suddenly very close to his own, the large, goofy smile warping into an expression of concern.
"Hey, Urameshi, you don't look so hot, feelin' alright?"
His answer coated the lower portion of Kuwabara's pants and shoes.
"…Fine."
~`*`~
Kurama and his protégé met in one of Genkai's many empty temple rooms for their meditation period after the job of washing the dishes was finished. They sat cross-legged across from each other, preparing for the start of their second contemplation session.
"Okay, Teach, what's this afternoon's question?" Mitsuyo asked the redhead, feeling much more relaxed than she had been before. The initial conversation in the kitchen had definitely made her emotions calm down, and reverted to acting as she had been born to act.
That morning, outside in the forest after he had woken her from slumber, the question he asked had simply been one to satisfy his curiosity.
.:Flashback:.
"Why is it that you go to school dressed as a male student?"
Her answer had been a straightforward one, but it managed to get the job done.
"Well, when I was little," Mitsuyo started slowly, "I always seemed to have an aversion to girlie things."
"Girlie things?" Kurama quoted with a cocked eyebrow, despite his eyes being closed, and his posture unmoving.
Mitsuyo laughed. "Anything pink, frilly, or unnatural smelling usually got to me big time," she clarified.
"Right…"
"…So, yeah, anyways, I turned into a natural tomboy. Daddy's little girl. I'd play every sport imaginable—and totally kick ass at them, I might add—get dirtier than any pig rolling in mud, mostly by my need for a trek through the woods in our backyard when we lived in the US, and anything that even remotely reminded me of make-up and skirts normally had a fire aversion worse than my hate for them."
Trying desperately not to chuckle, Kurama asked, "You incinerated them?"
"I've always been a natural pyro. My mom always thought that it was a phase I'd grow out of, so I never got in serious trouble. Sure, I got a grounding or two, and maybe my allowance deducted…not to mention they hid anything that could pass as matches or lighters for a good three weeks… oh, and I can't forget that they wouldn't let me near the stove at all until I was in my teens…"
Deciding a small change of subject was needed, Kurama quickly cut in, "You never grew out of it?"
"Does it look like I did?" she answered with a similar giggle. "Nope, Mom's still kicking herself over that. I think she blames Dad because he encouraged me in whatever I did—not counting the whole fire deal. Of course, he's oblivious to the whole thing, so it's not doing anyone harm. But, I think she's mostly mad at him because recently, when we moved here and signed up for Meiou High, Dad made me a fake identity because—"
"The female uniforms were precisely what you didn't like," Kurama finished, realization dawning on him with a smile.
"Exactly," Mitsuyo agreed.
.:End of Flashback:.
And so that was how the first session went. But, Kurama had a different question to ask this time, and felt as if it would reveal a little more about Mitsuyo that he had yet to find out about her.
"What was your educational experience like back in the United States?" he inquired evenly from behind closed eyelids.
They didn't need to be open to sense the discomfort he had just put the girl in. He felt it wafting off of her person, stiff and uncomfortably silent.
Mitsuyo's earlier ease was long gone. She was remarkably quiet, not moving a muscle from her stagnant position. Kurama hardly heard her breathe. It was like she was petrified, unable to respond. This made Kurama's certainty waver, but he held fast; if it bothered her, then it was probably best to get her to talk.
"Mitsuyo?" he prompted uncaringly, feigning ignorance.
"I…well…it-it was okay."
When Kurama was sure she wouldn't go into depths, he pressed her with a smile, "Care to elaborate?"
"Not really."
"That is the rule, Mitsuyo. Answer as detailed as possible in all cases, remember?"
"Not really."
"Don't pull this, Mitsuyo. Not after we patched things up between us."
"I don't want to…"
"Mitsuyo—"
"I was picked on, alright?" she finally burst out. Behind closed eyes, the young girl fought to keep her tears at bay. The hands resting on her knees started to clench, and she gritted her teeth to keep from sobbing.
Kurama, eyes also shut, wrinkled his brow out of concern. He was right in thinking that this needed to be talked over.
"How do you mean?"
Mitsuyo's mouth opened and closed repetitively, like a fish out of water. She struggled to get her voice to work strongly, so as not to give away any weakness she was feeling.
"I…It was because I was…d-different. I acted…different…than the other kids at school."
"How so?"
"It goes along with the question you asked me earlier," she confessed softly. "I was fine in elementary school, overlooking the fact that, at times, I could be a bit quirky. It was considered natural for kids to act immature and wild. But…when I graduated, I didn't really…change. I was still all happy and stuff. While others moved onto make-up and boys, I stuck with sports and jokes. They chatted away with friends and spread gossip; I went through classes day by day. They dressed themselves in slutty outfits, putting on so much perfume they were practically drowning in it; I kept wearing T-shirts and jeans. I never seemed to…fit in. After a time, I convinced myself I didn't want to. And it's true, even now, that I never want to be anything like those girls."
"Like Miss Hoshi," Kurama added in a calm voice. "That's why you don't like her."
"Not her, really," Mitsuyo corrected. "Just people like her. They're pathetic. When they don't piss me off, I pity them."
"This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with your performance whence training with Hiei, would it?"
"…Maybe…"
"Mitsuyo…"
"Okay, okay…Um…well, as I said, I use to get picked on quite often by them. Everything from verbal spars at lunch to spit wads during class. I…I attacked them on a few occasions. I've had to transfer school districts because of it. Well, just recently, in the US that is, I had slapped a girl named Summer Hill, and got suspended from school. My mom was sick, so I took the opportunity to stay at home with her to give her medicine and stuff like that. A week afterwards, I had gone down to the drug store for some more meds, and spotted Summer and a few of her friends. They ended up cornering me when I left the store and basically beat me senseless."
Kurama's eyes shot open to stare incredibly at the still-mediating form of Mitsuyo. She wasn't all that upset any more, but seemed to be angry instead. A small frown marred the serene picture she was creating, the strands of hair that fell into her face doing little to hide the expression.
"What happened then?" he incited attentively.
"The girls eventually dropped out of school—suspended, pregnant, a little of both... I was fine, but I've got this stupid scar on my knee when I fell on a broken piece of glass from a beer bottle. Had a black eye and a few bruises for a few weeks…when my dad found out—he was gone on a trip in England during all of this—he immediately had us pack our things and move here."
"Why here? Why not some other state close by?"
"My great-grandma died a bit ago. Mom was invited to the wake, as she was great granny's favorite granddaughter. We decided that instead of coming out for a short while, we might as well stay. Dad's family's basically all dead except for a few cousins, but they never stay in one place for long, and Mom hadn't seen her family for a while now."
"You told me before that your Dad lost his job?"
"Technically he did. Only...he was sort of promoted instead? We could afford to up and leave when that happened."
"Ah. So, I take it you never recovered, and you've acted this way ever since?"
"Mom wanted to take me to a physiatrist to find out whether or not I would be "traumatized" for the rest of my life," Mitsuyo mocked with a sigh. "I didn't think anything of it. Basically, I haven't gotten into a fight since then, so I never knew whether or not anything was wrong."
"But you knew what I was talking about when I brought it up earlier this afternoon," Kurama told her.
"Hiroshi and I have our spats every once in a while," she explained patiently. "Neither of us actually gets injured, but we'd throw small things at each other, have name-calling contests—"
"Race around the house wielding bats like swords as you two attempted to desecrate your living space," he finished in a teasing tone.
"Yeah, that too. Anyway, we had this pillow fight shortly after I was better because Hiroshi wasn't happy about the fact that I got to stay home from school and he still had to go. Normally, I won the pillow fights, and he won the races, but he won this particular pillow fight."
"Because you kept picturing the people who attacked you in his place?"
Mitsuyo nodded, eyes finally opening up to meet his worried gaze. She tried to smile reassuringly, but it failed to stabilize.
"Silly, isn't it? All I got was pushed around and bitch-slapped, and I forgot how to properly defend myself."
Kurama sighed, shoulders sagging under the weight that he now felt pushing onto them. The urge to protect her—shield her from harm was even greater now. The urge to sweep her up into a comforting hug was also great. Hell, the urge to steal her away and hide her from the world was driving him insane. But, instead of acting out on these urges, he abruptly stood up, and held out a hand for her.
"Our session will be cut short for today," he said in a detached tone. "Come—I will have that talk with Hiei now. I have an idea how to get around this condition of yours."
"Uh…okay…" she answered unsurely, slowly slipping her hand into his own. The redhead lifted her to her feet easily, let go, and led the way out of the temple room and into the forest lining the ground borders.
They walked on silently for a few minutes, and when they stopped, Kurama pulled Mitsuyo to him, resting his arm across her shoulders possessively. He couldn't help it, and she didn't raise any objections, so he figured that while he wasn't happy with his lack of control, at least she was.
"Hiei," he called into the foliage above, his voice carrying on the playful wind that the storm was bringing. "I must speak with you."
Not a minute passed before a black and blue blur landed at his feet, quickly taking the form of a crouching Hiei as he rose from his pose purposefully. His attire proved that he was just having an intense work-out period, as his arms and cheeks were scarred with small nicks and scratches, and flecks of dirt were speckled all over his body thanks to the droplets of sweat coating his face.
"I was in the middle of training," he spat coldly, indicating the unsheathed sword, dripping fresh demon blood, in his hand. "What is it now?"
"There's been a change in plans," Kurama informed him calmly, not the least bit unnerved at his companion's tone unlike Mitsuyo's uneasy form by his side. "Mitsuyo's training will go a bit differently than we originally figured, though it'll follow more along the lines she should be focusing on."
"Oh?" Hiei inquired in mock interest, quirking an eyebrow. "And what, exactly, will be different? Tell me the old bitch is taking over her training, and relieving me of those responsibilities."
"Sorry, Hiei," Kurama chuckled. "What I want her to do is work on speed and agility, being able to count on her ability to flee the scene without worrying about being caught. Can you do that?"
Hiei stared blankly at the redhead. "Don't make me question your brains, Kurama. I'd hate to have been wrong about them all these years."
"Good. New curriculum starts next session. Push hard, don't slack, but don't physically assault her unless you feel she'll be able to handle it properly this time. Despite the fact she is has no demon blood in her veins, or any record of a decent battle, she is still a victim of MPE, and should react without having to think it over too hard."
"What about verbal abuse?"
"All the better. It'll prepare her far better for Akio's attempts than anything else I can think of at the moment."
"Hn. Whatever," Hiei scoffed—his way of taking a compliment—and turned away. "Now, can I leave? I'm behind on my own schedule as it is."
As Hiei flitted out of sight, Mitsuyo was frozen to the ground by the conversation that just took place, unable to fully imagine the pain and anguish that will be hitting her in waves the next time she and Hiei met. Honestly, she barely survived having Hiei attack her with a sword, without saying a word, or moving all that much. Now, he'd be chasing her for who knew how long, spitting things that she could guess would be particularly hurtful to her feelings, and—though she wouldn't necessarily be attacked—she really didn't look forward to it.
Kurama stared down at her, eyes narrowed in concern.
"Mitsuyo? Are you feeling well?"
She promptly fell on her butt.
"I hate you, Kurama."
.:AN:.
So. There you have it. A bit of this, a bit of that. Yeah. Well, my comments on this chapter are not going to be so bashing to my writing as they were the last chapter, but I will say this. I had so many plans for this chapter. I wanted the characters to do this, I wanted them to say that...yada yada yada. As always, none of it happened. And, not..as..always, I had to rewrite a section of it because my computer kept turning off at THE WORST opportune moment, and the files were not recovered...I was so sad. But yeah. If you didn't understand a bit of this chapter, let me explain. The reason why Mitsuyo kept falling on her face when Hiei attacked is what I consider to be basic psychology. I know that at least someone out there reading this stuff has either gotten hit by a ball, bit by a dog, stabbed by a pencil, ect ect ect. And now, even if it may be a few years later, you still are wary around such objects or animals. I am one of them. A ball comes flying towards my face, and I either scream and duck, or I scrunch up my face and freeze. This coming from a very sporty person that glares in digust at the kind of people who whine about breaking a fingernail. No, normally things like this don't require a visit to a psychologist, but some parents are very protective of their kids, and take precautions to make sure they're not all weird in the head.
And yeah. The rift between Kurama and Mitsuyo has now been bridged ever so slightly, because Mitsuyo knows now that she did nothing to make Kurama stay clear of her (except exist), and Kurama -- though still adamant about keeping his distance -- will be a bit more warm towards her. Sorry, but I couldn't think of any other way to keep the story moving in the direction I wanted it to without fixing that up first. Some may think I didn't keep them apart long enough, and I agree. Some may not care as long as the two end up making out later on, and I agree with that as well.
Things to expect in the next chapter fall under the lines of more training (Yaaaaay training!), Mitsuyo returning home (Yaaaaay returning home!), a bit more on the activities of Akio (Boooo Akio!), the struggles going on in Touya's mind (Yaaaaay, Touya!), and perhaps...a fight? (Yaaaay action!)
And that's it. Okay? Okay. Thank you, and have a nice day!