~Tried...and True?~

Thanks for waiting!!!

I had a dilemma with this chapter. You see, I've tried to set up quite a few plot points in this chapter (which is why it's pretty damn long), but I wondered while I was writing whether that multi-point focus has made this part of the story meander or drag a bit too much. I've decided to just upload the chapter now anyway, first because you guys have waited a long time and I felt I owed you something for your patience, and second because the story really needed everything I put into this chapter, and it's as condensed as it can be without me taking out some things I felt were necessary. Therefore, I ask everyone to please have some faith, because I WILL get to the point eventually. Hey, I didn't disappoint you too bad with the last couple of chapters, did I?

Again, I assure you, everything I did with this chapter has a point, even if the point in some cases was just to add humor. Most of it actually has to do with future events, though, so pardon me for my long-windedness.

That said, read and enjoy, and please don't forget to review! I appreciate feedback (just no flames, and try to keep your constructive comments just that. Constructive). Be gentle with me. n_n;


~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~


The knock came early the next morning, and Kurama had a moment to wonder groggily which of his classmates wanted what from him before a familiar voice drew him out of sleep completely.

“Hey, Kurama! You home? It’s Yusuke; open up.”

The kitsune groaned and climbed out of bed, yawned and stretched, and then and only then went to answer the door. He gave the young man standing outside a bleary-eyed glare. “I’ve told you and Kuwabara both several times: I’m Suuichi in public. I hope it hasn’t escaped your notice that it’s obscenely early.”

“Yeah, yeah, sorry to drag you out of bed so early, princess,” Yusuke replied, shuttling him back inside without preamble. Once the door was shut behind him, he arched a sable eyebrow at his teammate. “You’re sure pleasant today. Were you up late studying your bushy silver tail off?”

“Among other things,” was the kitsune’s curt reply. “Have a seat over there; I’m going to go clear my head with a quick shower.”

He left Yusuke to fidget in place while he carried out his usual routine. The detective glanced aimlessly around the room for a little bit, and then proceeded to be extremely bored. “Damn,” he muttered, “even in college Kurama keeps his room super-clean. Anal retentive, much?”

A soft, sleepy noise caught his attention, and he glanced over towards the fox demon’s bed to see a familiar spiky-haired head poke out from under the blanket. Hiei and Yusuke blinked at each other in surprise for a moment, and then the fire demon sat up halfway and scowled. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The former spirit detective gawked at him, and then quickly slapped a hand over his eyes. “Geez, you’d better be wearing something under there. That’s not something I ever wanted to think about.”

“If you’re so disturbed, then get the hell out,” the red-eyed apparition growled. “No one asked you to intrude.”

“I’m not here because I wanted to walk in on you guys’ little love nest, okay? I’m here on request from Koenma. Normally I wouldn’t give a damn what Pacifier Breath wanted me to do, but I was bored, and it kinda sounded like an interesting job.” The half-human teen slouched in the desk chair he currently occupied, letting his hand drop now that the only thing in his line of vision was the ceiling. “Anyway, I thought I’d talk to Kurama before I went looking for trouble, and by that I mean you. Koenma said he needed fox-boy specifically.”

Hiei frowned at him. What would the Lord of the Dead want Kurama for in particular? Was this an intelligence mission, then? By the sound of it, though, they would all be going; it was merely that Koenma had probably instructed Yusuke to seek out Kurama first.

The redhead emerged shortly from the shower, dressed in a set of casual clothes and still drying his hair with a thick, white towel. “I take it you didn’t just come for a social call?” he conjectured. “You’re not generally that considerate.”

“Hey!” the hanyou protested. Then he adopted a sheepish expression. “Yeah, all right. You’ve got a point there.” He stretched lightly before continuing, still shaking the effects of early morning himself, though he wouldn’t admit to being affected so much. “It’s like this: Spirit World got a report of a whole mess of demons planning some kind of get-together, and when they poked around a little bit more, they heard something that made them think the group topic might be invasion. Now Koenma wants us to go check it out, to see what’s actually going down.”

“Invasion,” Kurama murmured. “It wouldn’t be the first time. Did he say what sort of demons were planning this event?”

“That’s why he wanted you for this mission the most,” Yusuke replied. “He said the demons were all going to be kitsune.”

His green-eyed teammate looked startled at the news; the towel almost dropped from his hands, a careless gesture that meant the always self-aware demon was truly off balance. Then his eyes narrowed. “That could definitely be cause for concern. My people are not anti-social per say, but kitsune tend to be solitary by nature. If a large number of them are gathering, it’s almost certainly for some greater purpose than a desire for each other’s company.”

“Yeah, but right now that’s not what I’m wondering about,” Yusuke interjected. “If all the guys at this thing are fox demons, how are we all gonna get in? Koenma said he had something planned, but you know what a doofus he can be sometimes. Jetpacks, those stupid-ass disguises of his; I can feel doom approaching already.”

Kurama sweatdropped, inclined to agree. The godling’s idea of brilliance often ran the gamut from the ridiculous to the just-plain-absurd. “Perhaps he’s thought it through carefully this time,” he suggested, trying to be optimistic. “This is obviously important, or he wouldn’t have risked contacting you on official Reikai business. You’re still considered a dangerous person by the spirit world’s authorities, even now that the assassination order has been long called off.”

“Leave it to Koenma to break the rules when it’s convenient for him,” the short-haired boy groused. “If Reikai puts out another hit on me for this, I’m gonna make sure that brat gets a hell of a lot worse than spankings.”

A high, musical ringing sounded just then, and Yusuke gave Kurama a puzzled look. The demon fox went to his dresser and opened a drawer; his hand disappeared inside, and when it reappeared, he had his old compact communicator gripped lightly in it. “I thought it might be useful again someday,” he explained. “That’s why I didn’t return it, or put it away somewhere and forget about it as I’m sure you did yours.”

“I destroyed mine,”[1] Hiei muttered. “I didn’t feel like leaving any evidence on it for Reikai to track me with.”

Kurama graced him with a small, amused smile, and then flipped open the compact. “I had a feeling you would call sometime soon, once I heard Yusuke’s message.”

“Thank heaven you’re still the smart one,” Koenma replied. “I’m going to need your intelligence for this one. Has Yusuke informed you of the problem?”

“He has. The only one who doesn’t know yet is Kuwabara; we have yet to get in touch with him.”

“I’ll give him a call and pray he hasn’t thrown out his communicator.”

The three present waited while Koenma “phoned” their comrade. It was several minutes before Kuwabara picked up (he had most likely had to rummage around for his compact for a while to find it), and the human teen’s bewildered voice sounded over the connected frequency.

“Koenma? I thought you weren’t gonna call us anymore.”

“It was an emergency; I’d love to leave you to your carefree human existence, Kuwabara, but I’m afraid this is urgent.” Without giving the orange-haired boy any room to protest—as he most likely would have—Koenma barreled through his explanation of the crisis. Kuwabara was silent as he listened, and the other tantei could practically see his frown. Of all of them, Kazuma was the one who enjoyed normal life the most, and disliked having it interrupted by things like the end of the world. He would not hesitate if he was needed, but he would be reluctant until the cause was proven worthy. Once it had been, he would be just as gung-ho as any of them, and probably more. It was simply a matter of convincing him.

“Basically,” Koenma said as he wrapped things up, “I need all of you to go in so you can make sure you don’t miss anything, and of course to back one another up, if you’re discovered and things get messy.”

The silence continued for a minute or two longer, as Kuwabara considered whether this mission was worth the risk. If an invasion of the human or spirit world was imminent, they should definitely stop it. That, at least, was a given.

“So, how are we gettin’ past all the foxes?” he asked finally, having made up his mind. “Won’t we kinda, you know, stand out?”

“Leave that to me,” Koenma assured him. “Kurama, Yusuke, Hiei, go to Genkai’s grounds and wait outside the Demon Forest. It’s the only place that will effectively mask all of your energies, so it’s the safest place for me to meet you. Kuwabara, you get there too, as quickly as you can. I want this to be an in-and-out thing.”

“Hey, hold the phone,” Yusuke objected. “You mean now? Today?”

“No, in a few years,” Koenma said impatiently. “Yes, now! The end of the world waits for no man! Get a move on!”

“But we haven’t even thought of reasons to be gone!” the sienna-eyed teen exclaimed sharply. “We can’t just take off!”

The two demons in the room and the demi-immortal on the screen gaped at him in disbelief. Koenma leaned forward in his office chair. “Yusuke…are you saying you give a rat’s ass about skipping class? That you actually care about your attendance record?”

Kurama stepped over to his comrade and placed a hand on the slightly shorter boy’s forehead. “Hm. You don’t feel feverish. This delirium must have some other cause.”

“Maybe he should lie down,” Hiei offered, shock making his tone nearly devoid of sarcasm. Nearly.

Yusuke glowered at them all. “I’m not freaking sick. It’s just that my mom threatened to make me pay for my entire four years of college on my own if I skipped without a good reason. I hate going to school every day like a ‘nice boy,’ but I think I’d hate a nine-to-fiver to make money for college even more. So if you bastards don’t mind, I’m at least gonna take an hour to forge a doctor’s note before we go on our happy little reconnaissance mission.”

“Hn. There’s the delinquent we know,” Hiei snarked. “I knew there was some less than noble reason behind it; I feel relieved to know what it is.”

“Fuck you too, shorty.”

“Not even if I was drunk out of my mind, Detective.”

Yusuke turned red and sputtered, and Hiei just gave him an impassive look. Kurama turned his attention back to the communicator.

“We should be able to come up with reasonable excuses fairly quickly, and then it will take us an hour or two to get to Genkai’s. Kuwabara, I assume you can also make it in about that amount of time?”

“Yeah, I guess. I just hope I can think of something good to tell my professors. I already used my measles excuse this year to go to a Megallica concert.”

The fox-boy smirked. “Well, I’m sure you can come up with something more believable than measles, particularly if that was all it took to fool your professors before.”

“Great,” Koenma interrupted. “You all figure out what to tell who, and I’ll make preparations to meet you all there. Don’t be late.”

A beeping sound announced that the godling’s line had disconnected, and Kurama closed the compact with a quiet “click.”

“We’d best be going.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Demon Forest stood tall and imposing, even in the light of day. Genkai and Koenma were both waiting outside it when the whole team arrived, Kuwabara having met the others at the base of the mountain and climbed the steps with the rest.

Koenma looked up as they approached, his expression clearly stating that time was of the essence. Or rather, that he wished they’d gotten there sooner. “Well, at least you all made it,” he muttered. The young god cleared his throat, and addressed them in a slightly louder voice. “All right, let’s get down to business. Your mission is to infiltrate the ranks of the gathering demons, spread out, and gather as much information as possible. If you are discovered, of course you’ll retreat. There’s no need for large-scale heroics until I say there is. Incidentally, I’m appointing Kurama as team leader this time, since he will obviously have the most knowledge about his race, and can most likely keep the rest of you out of trouble.”

“Hmph, good luck.” Genkai’s sarcastic remark was expected, and taken in stride by all present.

“Koenma,” Kurama interjected mildly, “you have yet to tell us how we are all expected to infiltrate a race of demons who are neither easily fooled, nor possessed of a great deal of benevolence where other races are concerned. The kitsune are a private, if not altogether suspicious people, and they do not like strangers intruding on their personal affairs.”

“I was just getting to that, actually.” The godling turned toward the trees, where the tantei realized another person stood in shadow. “I’ve pulled a few strings secretly, and I’ve brought you someone fairly qualified for creating disguises.”

The shadowed figure stalked forward with what could only be termed reluctant menace, and Yusuke and Kuwabara let out angry cries of protest. Kurama and Hiei had never met the demon now standing beside Koenma and glaring at them all, but it seemed their teammates had, and by their reactions, it had not been a good experience.

“It’s been a while, losers,” Rando greeted them irritably. “Just not nearly long enough.”

“Are you NUTS!?” Yusuke yelled at his old boss. “Why the hell is he here!?”

“He’s the one who’s going to make it possible for you to get inside this demon meeting without getting sniffed out and torn to shreds,” Koenma answered dryly. “And I didn’t like it either, but it was the best option for something like this.”

“No way!” Kuwabara denied, drawing his Spirit Sword defensively. “We’re not working with that dirtbag, so you can just shove him back in his prison cell in Spirit World!”

“Will you shut up for a minute and let His Royal Bratness talk?” Genkai barked. “The longer you stand here arguing about what you will and won’t do, the easier it will be for Reikai to track you all down. Koenma is risking his hide to be here, so pay attention while you still have time!”

Angry, but unaccustomed to disobeying the aged psychic,[2] Kuwabara gritted his teeth and fell silent. Yusuke, on the other hand, was very much accustomed to disobeying, and was not to be quieted so easily.

“Give me one good reason to work with this bastard instead of ripping off his head,” the black-haired teen demanded.

“Because you need me,” Rando snapped. He glanced at Koenma. “You swore you’d make this worth my while, but if you can’t get your lackeys to cooperate in the next ten minutes, you can forget it. There’s only so much a demon can take before even prison looks good.”

“Yes, yes,” the co-ruler of Reikai replied. “A little patience might help you towards your complete rehabilitation, you know.”

“Just get the lead out, damn it!”

Koenma made an exasperated face, and turned back to the team. “Among the ninety-nine psychic abilities Rando has stolen is a particular technique I thought would be perfect for this mission. Yusuke, Kuwabara, when you first encountered him in the Genkai Tournament, Rando was disguised perfectly as a human being, right down to his energy. Once the Demon Compass broke, there was no way for even Botan to pin down his demon presence while she was with you, because at that time, he was essentially what he was pretending to be: a human. The technique I spoke of is how he accomplished this feat.”

“It’s a shape-changing technique,” Genkai explained, “and apparently, he can use it on others as well.”

“That’s what happens when a highly adaptable creature like Rando gets a hold of a powerful skill,” Koenma told them.

Kurama’s green eyes widened marginally at this news. “So what you’re saying is that he can change them into kitsune?”

“As Botan would say, ‘Bingo,’” the godling replied, just a tad smug. “And it’s not just a makeover we’re talking about here. He will even be able to mask their energy with something like the kitsunes’ as well. With any luck, not a single demon fox in the lot will be able to tell the difference. Genius, eh?”

“I don’t know about this,” Kuwabara argued. “Wouldn’t something like that be dangerous?”

Rando laughed darkly. “Of course it’s dangerous; that’s why I wanted it. Idiot.”

“You—”

Kurama cut off his fellow tantei’s impending tirade. “How does the technique work?”

“It’s a pretty simple theory,” the convict answered. “I just take a ‘sample’ from something and copy it into something else. Instant shape-change.”

“It’s hardly that simple,” Genkai corrected gruffly. “As usual, you grasp only the basics of the technique required to make it work.”

“Better make sure none of us have swamp algae in our ears this time,” Yusuke put in with an obnoxious smirk.

Rando scowled, but Koenma thrust an arm in front of him before he could retaliate in some violent fashion. “That’s enough! We don’t have time for you to be bickering! Rando, you know my terms for your cooperation; it’s time to earn your keep.”

The spider-mask tattooed demon snarled, but turned and stabbed his index finger in Kurama’s direction. “You’re the sample I need, so make with the demon form before I lose my goddamned temper.”

The spirit fox glanced at Koenma, who nodded. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had vowed during the Makai Tournament that Youko was finally at rest within him; to wake his other side now was not something he particularly wanted to do, but he doubted his race would accept his presence if he were in human form. Of course, they would hardly welcome him with open arms as it was, but he would think of a way around that.

Eerie winds kicked up around the group as the ancient demon fox’s energy was pulled forth. Mist swirled, concealing the fox-boy from sight, and energy slashed the air in silvery streaks. Somewhere far away an animal call sounded, like a shriek of triumph.

Hiei stood watching the transformation with his eyes narrowed in anticipation. When Kurama tapped into his true form, the sheer power he let off was almost intoxicating. It never failed to send a chill up the fire demon’s spine. This was how he should be, Hiei thought, raw, pure, and wholly the demon he was. Not tempered by his human self. Not tamed by his years trapped in the guise of “Suuichi.” This was why Hiei had raised no objection to the mission, or made his usual snide remarks about not caring what happened to the human world he was not part of. The chance to return to the Makai aside, it was the prospect of seeing Kurama as he was meant to be that had made him hold his tongue.

The winds swept the mist away at last, revealing Youko Kurama in all his imposing glory. Cold, golden eyes surveyed the group; it was as if all traces of the mild-tempered, “human” Kurama had disappeared, replaced by this lethal, feral being. Though he remained the companion they knew inside, it was impossible to see beneath the ominous figure he cut now. Even Yusuke swallowed a semi-nervous lump at the sight of him. He wasn’t afraid, but there was something about those metallic eyes that set the hairs on the nape of his neck on end.

“You may proceed,” Youko told Rando in his skin-tingling bass. The human-hunter looked a little stunned too; most likely he had never encountered a demon of Kurama’s power, having spent most of his career killing human psychics. He gathered his wits soon enough, however, and approached the demon fox.

“Your hand,” he commanded, and Youko extended it, palm down. A swipe of the convict’s claws made the spirit fox growl low in his throat, but Kurama made no retaliation. Rando held his palm just above the wound and began to chant, arcane words flowing rapidly from his tongue as light began to glow around both their hands. The light went from white to scarlet gradually; the spell was absorbing Kurama’s blood. The chant ended, and Rando turned a baleful eye on the others. “Who wants to be victim number one?” he asked sarcastically.

“How do we know we can trust you?” Kuwabara asked gruffly, his gaze wary.

“Should I be cliché here?” the demon mused. “Sure, why not: you don’t. How’s that?”

Kazuma bristled at this, but Yusuke put a warning hand on his shoulder. “No time, remember? Koenma’s got him on a tight leash from the look of things; let’s just do this and get it over with before he gets to thinking too much about revenge.”

“How ‘bout you, then?” Rando challenged, his grin malicious. “I hate you the most, you know. If you’re not scared of what I might do to you, then hold out your hand.”

Yusuke glared at him with intense brown eyes. “What the heck, I was looking for some excitement.” He put out his hand. “Of course, if you turn on us my buddies will just have to kick your ass.”

“Whatever makes you feel safe,” Rando shot back. He moved his hand, still surrounded by that crimson glow, to hover over Yusuke’s. “Oh, yeah,” he said just before he seized it, “this’ll probably hurt like a bitch.”

At the moment of contact the red light flared around the spirit detective, obscuring the change from the eyes of the others present. Yusuke tried to suppress his sounds of pain, but it suddenly felt as though there was acid rushing through his veins. He was sickeningly conscious of how the change felt; from the way his ears shifted upwards and thinned, spread into triangle-like shapes, to the way his spine suddenly lengthened with an unnerving sound like wet gravel and tearing fabric all at once. Trust Rando to be honest about the shittiest things: it really did hurt like a bitch. He bore it with half-voiced grunts of agony, gritting his teeth until the light faded, along with the pain. When it was over, he let his pride go long enough to gasp raggedly for a moment or two.

“Next,” Rando deadpanned, his hand still glowing.

The others ignored him for a moment to stare at their comrade. Where once had been an arguably human boy now stood a youngish-looking kitsune with straight black hair going just past his shoulders, a sleek black tail, and thinly furred black fox ears. Tapered claws were at his fingertips, and his sienna eyes were just slightly more amber in hue. His features were still Yusuke’s, but the longer hair and the high-set ears gave him a more angular appearance.

“Is it weird?” he asked, his voice still a little strained.

“Actually…it’s kinda working for you, Urameshi,” Kuwabara remarked, surprised. He grinned. “The ears and tail thing sorta makes you look less like a punk, somehow.”

“Aw, shuddup!”

“Come on already,” Rando snapped. “I can’t hold this forever, you bastards! Someone else get over here, unless you’ve all chickened out!”

Kurama’s gaze followed Hiei as the fire demon cautiously strode forward. He was curious to see how the transformation affected his mate. He was rather surprised Hiei was actually going through with this, come to think of it. Somehow, he’d imagined the Koorime halfbreed would have some kind of complex about being something he wasn’t supposed to be.

“I don’t hate you on a personal level,” Rando said as he reached out his hand, “so I should probably feel some remorse for this. Too bad I still hate everyone in general.”

Hiei bit back a snarl of pain as the technique took hold of him; he instinctively resisted the change, but the choice was no longer his to make. It seemed like forever, but then it was done, and he made a pained growl under his breath. He was shaking a little, having received some nasty backlash from his attempt to deny the technique, and he stood very still to avoid the embarrassment of stumbling. When he could stand to move at all, he lifted his head a little to glance at Kurama, suddenly self-conscious.

Youko suppressed the abrupt, guilty urge to laugh. Hiei had the look of a scruffy kit with his small stature and large eyes, though his proportions were still obviously those of a young adult. His ears, black like Yusuke’s, were a little on the large side, like a young fox’s. His hair had gotten a little longer as well, though it retained its wild texture. The white starburst at his forehead had filled in completely, giving him a patch of solid white that fell gracelessly into his eyes, which were now a fascinating shade of reddish gold. Even his tail was vaguely spiky, and sported a white tip. It puffed in indignation when Kurama could not quite hide his smirk.

“What the hell is so funny?” the fire demon demanded crossly.

“Nothing,” Kurama replied teasingly. “It’s only that, even this way, you retain the elements that make you so interesting. If anything, they are enhanced.”

Hiei’s response was a grumpy snort and a hint of red in his face. Kurama’s smile widened. He was actually embarrassed!

Rando took a few deep breaths; all of this was draining, particularly after years in prison, unable to practice his power while the walls of his cell warded it. Day after day, sitting there, getting weaker…by all the hells, he’d make them pay if it was the last thing he—

“Ahem,” Koenma prompted, making the convicts hackles rise.

“All right, all right,” Rando grumbled. He gave Kuwabara a look up and down, and grimaced. “Might have to use more power on you, just ‘cause you don’t have any demon blood in you. Hold still and try not to cry like you did the time I was breaking your tiny arm.”

“Hey! I didn’t—AURG!”

The scarlet blaze of light lasted longer than it had for the others, and all watching stood by curiously, waiting to see what would become of their fellow.

“Peh,” Rando said dismissively, when the glaring brightness had faded at last, “it’ll do.”

Koenma adopted a mildly skeptical expression, Hiei made a noncommittal noise, and Kurama cocked his head in a distinctly fox-like gesture of mild fascination. Genkai just rolled her eyes, and Yusuke opened his mouth, and then shut it again, choosing to simply raise an eyebrow instead of saying whatever was on his mind.

“What?” Kuwabara glanced around at everyone, confused. “What’s wrong, guys?” Their silence did not reassure him, and he panicked. “He did something weird to me, didn’t he!? You demon freak, I’m gonna get you!”

“Huh,” was Yusuke’s only response, in spite of his friend’s growing hysterics.

“Huh? Like a bad ‘huh’ or a good one? Come on, seriously, what’d he do!?”

Koenma finally deigned to speak, and waved his hands in a placating motion. “It’s fine, Kuwabara, really. You just…don’t particularly look like a kitsune. At least, you don’t really look like the other guys, and, eh, well, like I said, it’s fine.” He produced a mirror (though god only knew—or rather, Koenma only did—from where), and handed it over. “Here, see for yourself.”

Kuwabara tentatively took a look at his reflection, and made a face. “I knew it,” he grumbled, “it does look weird.”

To be sure, Rando had done the best he could, but the lack of actual demon DNA, coupled with Kuwabara’s unique physical structure, had made turning him into a typical kitsune pretty much impossible. His hair, though still the same orange color, was much longer, and had a slight wave to it (as well as having lost completely its usual style; hair gel apparently couldn’t stand up to a heavy dose of demon energy), and his dark eyes had been lightened until they were really recognizable as blue, rather than the black they had looked before.[3] His fox ears were a slightly rustier shade of orange than his hair, as was his thick, bushy tail. His rough, angled facial features gave him a more masculine look than any of his “youkofied” comrades. In fact, though there was some slight smoothing of his features that indicated Rando had given the transformation his best shot, it was still obvious that Kuwabara was of decidedly human stock.

The carrot-top grimaced at Rando, who appeared almost indignant that his technique had not succeeded as well as he’d planned. “I don’t think this is gonna work.”

“You should be thanking me for even trying to fix your ugly mug,” the human-hunter sniped. “Anyway, the mask of kitsune-specific youki hiding your own human energy should be enough to make sure you pass ‘inspection.’ You’ll have to explain your weird-ass physical appearance without my help; I’m done.”

With that, he plopped down “Indian style” on the grass, clearly exhausted. “This better be worth the years off my sentence, that’s all I can say,” he muttered.

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy tasting the sweet air of freedom sooner than ‘never,’ like Reikai originally planned,” Koenma replied. He turned to his team once more, ignoring the way the demon convict scowled mutinously at him. “Kurama,” he addressed the silver fox, “any suggestions as to what we tell your people if they do ask questions about Kuwabara?”

“That’s simple enough,” Kurama replied. “Kitsune-human hybrids are rare, and not precisely looked favorably upon, but they are generally accepted, if with varying degrees of reluctance. It will be fine.”

“Good,” the godling replied, looking relieved. “That’s settled, then. And now that you all look the part, it’s time for you to get this show on the road.”

“Are you going to use any more bad clichés if we don’t leave now?” Yusuke asked flippantly.

The demi-immortal looked him dead in the eye. “You bet. And I’ve been around long enough to know a few that would make your head spin with their sheer inanity.”

“O…kay, then. Kurama, you’re the boss this time around. Lead on.”

“First,” the silver fox suggested, “I’d like to come up with false names for you to use while we are in the Makai. You’re known in the demon world, and we don’t want anyone to recognize you by your real names. Nothing too complicated; they should be something similar to your real names so we won’t forget.” He thought seriously for a moment, and then nodded. “Hiei, I suggest ‘Hige’ for you. Yusuke, you’ll be ‘Yuushin.’ And Kuwabara, since no one pays any attention to your first name, we don’t need to alter it. You’ll just be ‘Kazuma.’”

Yusuke snickered. “Hey, Hiei, your fake name means ‘humility.’ Is that gonna be a problem for you?”

“And I suppose ‘dashing forward bravely’ is just fine for you,” the shorter male snarled, his ears flattening in irritation.

“At least it’s not ‘running like a chicken,’” the brown-eyed teen replied, shrugging.

“Okay, people, that’s enough playtime,” Koenma told them. “It should be relatively easy to find a way into the Makai once you’re inside the Demon Forest. Try to come back alive, but more importantly, try to come back with some useful information.”

“You’re a great guy, Koenma. Really.”

“Get your rear in gear, Yusuke. The others are leaving you.”

“Whoa! Wait for me, damnit!”

Genkai slid her gaze sideways toward Koenma. “You think they’ll manage without some kind of disaster?”

“Pfft. No.”

“Me neither.”

They watched the four disappear into the trees, and then waited for Botan to come pick up the prisoner for transport back to the Reikai.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The journey, aided by the coordinates Koenma had sent to each of their communicators (Hiei and Yusuke were given new ones to replace those lost or destroyed), took them a few short days, and they arrived on the morning of the day the meeting was reportedly supposed to take place. The meeting place was a huge clearing, which housed a small lake and, currently, several hundred kitsune. The tantei hung back out of sight, and went over a quickly devised plan.

“I’d have liked us to approach separately, to reduce the chance of you all being recognized merely by association with my presence,” Kurama admitted. “Unfortunately, I’ve also been instructed to keep an eye on the three of you, so we’ll have to take the risk.”

“Gee thanks, mom,” Yusuke offered sarcastically. “We’re not babies, Kurama; we can handle mingling with a big crowd of demons.”

The silver-maned demon gave him a sharp stare. “The mechanics of kitsune society are complicated, Yusuke. You’ll need me close by to help you avoid making a serious error, and end up offending someone who could potentially kill you.”

Pride slightly wounded, the half-human boy nevertheless conceded the point. “Fine. But we’ll have to spread out eventually, to get the information we came here for.”

“Granted, but please stay near me at least until you’ve picked up some common etiquette.”

“Common what? Fewer big words, Kurama, seriously.”

A heavy sigh passed from Youko’s lips. “Never mind. Just…pretend you’re on a date with Keiko, and anything you do or say is going to get you slapped. With a poisonous plant.”

Kuwabara snickered, the image obviously coming readily to his mind. Hiei gave a slight sneer, his opinion of being babysat by anyone, lover or not, clear in the expression. Kurama knew he could take care of himself if a fight broke out, but that was what they were trying to avoid in this case. He hoped his fellow tantei could muster more than their usual finesse for this mission. Or at least more than their usual self-control.

“Just stay with me,” he directed his teammates, “and as Koenma instructed, keep your eyes and ears open. Unless they seem to have useful information, try not to talk to anyone until you’ve all picked up some of the norms. If you need to speak to anyone here, keep your words casual and only slightly familiar. My people do not generally socialize with one another in large groups, but we’re perfectly capable of it. Just keep in mind this rule: too much familiarity at first will seem like a threat, an insult, or an offer, and trust me, none of you want any of those things associated with you. This mission is all about being discreet.”

It was a little difficult to concentrate on the plan with all of his comrades in a huddle around him, Kurama found. There was something bothering him, but he had yet to put his finger on it. When the huddle broke, he had a moment to figure it out. The thing that was distracting him was Hiei.

More accurately, it was Hiei’s scent. Now, the fire demon had an exclusive scent about him that Kurama had come to associate pleasantly with his lover. It was a little like pine and a little like ash, and mostly it was like the little demon’s temper, hot and vivid. On some days, when Hiei was in a rare mood, there was even a crisp, almost cold undertone to it that reminded the fox somewhat of mint. Yet, for all that he could recognize that smell instantly when he caught it, Kurama had always noted that it was surprisingly subtle, as though Hiei suppressed it like he did everything else on a daily basis, from his emotions to his power.

Now, though, Hiei’s unique scent reached out and all but clubbed him over the head. Kurama inhaled deeply purely on accident, and found his senses momentarily blinded to all else but the smell of sharp pine and green mint, and that hot, urgent maleness that was as subtle as a wildfire. It made his fur stand on end, but in such a giddy way that he suddenly had the insane urge to tackle the owner of that maddening scent to the forest floor and…and…well, fucking him into the ground seemed like a good start.

Then Hiei moved away, and Kurama shook his head to clear it. He hadn’t felt such a surge of pure, unadulterated lust in ages! He had known he was much more in tune to Hiei these days than the average person, but he had never expected this. Thinking about it logically, it must have had something to do with a combination of Youko’s superior sense of smell, and the way kitsune body chemistry affected Hiei’s normal scent. Kurama’s race communicated various states of emotional being, among other things, through smell, and each fox had a distinct scent that was both unique and instantly recognizable to other foxes who knew them. Females tended to have a lighter fragrance to them, and males generally had a thicker-scented musk that only heightened with aggression or excitement. Since Hiei was an aggressive individual by nature, Kurama supposed it was only natural that his scent as a kitsune would be quite strong.

Of course, knowing the probable cause will do nothing to lessen the effects, Kurama thought, grimacing. Hopefully, I will not be as affected now that I’m expecting it. With that thought in mind, he ventured forth into the clearing, the others in tow.

The conversations nearest them ceased immediately when the foxes gathered there saw and recognized the silver youko.[4] Wary stares and even outright hostile looks met his and his fellows’ approach, just as he had expected. His people were no longer sure what to think of him now that he had been in the prolonged company of humans. In general, kitsune did not mind human beings, and even on occasion found them amusing. But to cross the invisible line and become one of them? That smacked of the taboo to them, and many of them surely considered Kurama something of a traitor.

One such fox, a tall, rough-looking male with earthy-brown fur and hair, intercepted Youko by stepping in front of him.

“You have a lot of nerve showing up here with the stink of the Ningenkai still clinging to you,” he growled. “Leave, before I make you.”

Yusuke and Kuwabara bristled warily, and Hiei subtly moved his hand toward his sword, but Kurama motioned to them all to stay back. Cool, calm eyes of pale gold met the challenger’s straight on. “Were you present during the Makai Tournament? Perhaps you will remember that during that battle, I severed ties with my human allies, and fought only for myself as our kind do. I have no love of the human world great enough to make me forget what I am.”

“Yet you remain there, living among them as one of them,” the brown retorted. “And what of that human family we’ve heard about? Is it a lie that you’re so protective of them?”

“I go where I will and protect what is mine. That, as I recall, is one of our creeds as well.”

Nearby listeners glanced at each other. Kurama had raised good points thus far. Was it permissible to accept him again as one of their own?

The brown fox bristled threateningly, but Kurama did not so much as bat an eyelash. If it came to a fight, he was confident he could win, and without enough violence to make the others turn on him too. The standoff lasted several minutes, and at last the other kitsune turned away with a snarl.

“Stay if you wish, but mind your own business. I’ll be watching you.”

The silver demon watched the other go dispassionately, and then gave the rest of those close by a cursory glance to gage their reactions. Hostility had turned, for the most part, to indifference, and the ones who had been in the midst of socializing returned to it. A few wandered over with cautious greetings, which Kurama returned with few words, but no ill intent. Once the entire gathering seemed satisfied that he was not a threat, even the indifference warmed somewhat, and he was free to move about.

His comrades followed closely as he wandered, just as he had advised them. No one bothered them beyond casual greetings and general curiosity, which was acceptable, and expected, because no one recognized them. Good; all was going according to plan. Now, if only they would all act appropriately until enough information was gathered....

Several minutes later, Kurama had just begun to relax when a small swarm of young kitsunes barreled into his little group, screaming like gleeful savages and pausing right smack in the middle of the team to wrestle. The kits jumped and shoved and tumbled over each other in a mess of ears, tails, and flailing limbs, and to Youko’s mixed amusement and exasperation, it did not appear as though they intended to move on any time soon.

“Come on,” he told the others, and picked his way carefully out of the midst of the squealing, nipping, mock-warring youngsters.

“Kids,” muttered Yusuke once they were free. “You spend the first two years of their lives teaching them to walk and talk, and the rest of their lives telling them to sit down and shut up.”

Kuwabara laughed. “I dunno, Urameshi, I think they’re kinda cute. You know, for fanged and clawed demon kids. Actually, they kinda remind me of kittens!”

“You and your cats! I bet when you die, your will is going to say ‘to my beloved pussy cat Eikichi, I leave all my worldly possessions, including the ball of sanity I lost somewhere under my bed.’”

“Screw you, Urameshi! Just ‘cause your face makes kittens run away in terror doesn’t mean cats aren’t the greatest dang things on the planet!”

“Please,” Kurama cautioned, “don’t use ‘Yuushin’s’ last name here. It’s too conspicuous for—”

Yusuke and Kuwabara stopped arguing and looked at their leader for this mission, curious to see what had caused him to suddenly fall silent. The way Youko’s pale golden eyes darted this way and that with an expression just shy of panic tipped them off fairly quickly, and a visual sweep of their own confirmed it for them: Hiei was missing.

“Where is he?” the silver fox asked, baffled and more than a little worried (for more reasons than he could count).

“He must not have seen us start walking again,” Yusuke surmised, concern starting to filter into his amber-touched eyes as well. “Come on, let’s go back. He couldn’t have gotten too far.”

He wouldn’t have to, Kurama thought with a hint of dread. Trouble is never far away when any member of this team is concerned. I just hope we can find him quickly, before this meeting place becomes a giant bonfire!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Poor thing, are you lost?”

Hiei glared over his shoulder at the teasing words, and the vixen who had spoken them smiled.

“Where are your parents, little one?” she asked mischievously. It was more than likely she knew he was not a child, and was only joking about his height, but it still irritated the hell out of him. Hiei gave her the full force of his glower, and was even more annoyed to find that it had no affect.

“Yayu, look,” she called over her shoulder. “I found a lost kit. Look what a cute little thing he is.”

Another she-fox glided over, and examined the bristling fire demon. Her smile grew to match her friend’s, and Hiei grimaced.

“Oh, just look at the dear child’s expression,” Yayu cooed. “I think you’re scaring him, Fukumi.”

“Me? Goodness, I was only trying to help.”

“If you two are through being idiots,” Hiei interjected harshly, “I’m bored. Go find someone else to play moronic games with.”

“Such a rude child,” Fukumi said with mock sadness. “I’ll bet he has no parents to teach him proper manners.”

Yayu’s eyes twinkled with nefarious glee. “Perhaps we should adopt him and teach him ourselves!”

“Oh yes, let’s!”

Hiei growled under his breath and made use of his superb speed to beat a quick exit, not wanting to stay and see what their idea of “teaching him manners” was like. Fools, he thought viciously, if you’re going to act like children, then don’t mother me!

A rich, tenor laugh sounded to his left just as he had gotten what he judged to be enough distance from his tormentors. Hiei turned his irritation on this new person mocking him, in the form of a fierce glare.

The fox laughing at him was a male of a little less than Kurama’s height, with russet fur and hair to match. Warm amber eyes teased him as assuredly as the vixens’ words had, and his hackles rose in protest. Was everyone here an idiot who lived to take amusement from the harassment of others!?

“I see you’ve had a run in with those sisters,” the tawny fox said, grinning. “Yayu and Fukumi enjoy taunting the surrounding male populace by any means necessary, and you, my vertically-challenged friend, have given them excellent ammunition.”

“Your warning is a little late to matter,” Hiei replied impatiently. “In any case, I don’t intend to go near them again.”

He made to leave the company of this kitsune as well (and more importantly, find his comrades; he still couldn’t believe he’d lost them so soon!), but to his extreme consternation, the fox was inclined to follow. He stopped and rounded on the red-furred demon, his temporary tail puffing in annoyance. “I don’t want your company,” he stated as clearly and ruthlessly as he could.

“This is a social event,” his new “friend” insisted mildly. “You should be more social. After all, our kind rarely comes together like this, so we should enjoy it while we can still stand each other.”

“I already can’t stand you,” Hiei snapped. “And I’ve never been the social type. If you want someone to chatter to, I can suggest a few people. Like those women; I’m sure they would talk to you as long as you wanted and then some.”

The taller male chuckled. “I like you. What’s your name, oh cantankerous one?”

Dumbfounded, Hiei could only stare at him. He had thrown every ounce of hostility into that dismissal, and still this idiot was here bothering him? Even Yusuke Urameshi could take more of a hint than that. Maybe.

“I’ll tell you what,” the russet fox suggested, “I’ll give you my name, and you give me yours. That’s fair, isn’t it? I’m Aka.”

“And I’m leaving,” Hiei deadpanned, and was gone with the usual flash of black and ‘crack’ of displaced air.

How am I supposed to concentrate on finding the people I walked in with, let alone finding out anything useful, if these people refuse to leave me alone? he thought as he left. He reached the edge of the clearing and stopped there to observe the demons milling about. For all that they were supposedly “not social,” it seemed to Hiei like they were all quite content to harass him. He could have attributed it to him being an unfamiliar face, but curiosity hardly accounted for the sheer level of audacity the foxes he had encountered so far had shown. What was it Kurama had said about overt familiarity here? That it was usually a threat, and insult, or an offer? Hiei all but cringed to think which his recent encounters had been. Threats he could dismiss, insults he could endure (or punish, given the incentive), but he had little experience with the last one. He hated the idea that he might have been sending somehow positive signals in such cases, and that was why some of the demons here had been so insistently friendly.

Damnit, where is Kurama? He’s the only one of them I can trust to not annoy me to death.

Rationally, he shouldn’t make himself seem too familiar with the silver Youko either, since the idea was not to seem too much like the team they actually were. But the crowd and the pestering were trying his last nerve, and he knew being in Kurama’s company would at least guarantee that the worst of the tomfoolery would be kept at bay. No one wanted to be a nuisance to someone with that kind of feral menace in his eyes.

He spotted a glint of silver, and flitted through the crowd toward it. He stopped dead when he saw Kurama conversing with the very same ruddy-haired nitwit who had been hassling him before! Frozen with indecision, he did not flee in time to avoid being seen, and Aka grinned broadly and waved him cheerily over. Hiei scowled, but since he had been looking for Kurama anyway, he saw little choice but to go to him now that he knew where the silver fox was. He did so with the air of a man walking to the gallows, if the gallows were something merely irritating and not actually lethal in any way.

“Let me guess,” Aka deduced, “you thought about it, and you decided to tell me your name, right?”

Hiei cast a quick, almost frantic look in Kurama’s direction. The silver fox, infuriatingly enough, seemed to find his situation funny, judging by his slight smile. He moved languidly to his lover’s side, tail swaying gently. “Hige,” he greeted casually. “There you are. Kazuma and Yuushin just went off to search for you over that way; they should be back soon.”

Aka looked at Kurama in surprise. “You’re acquainted?”

The taller fox nodded. “We know each other fairly well, and decided to attend this gathering together, along with two of our other associates.”

“That’s wonderful,” Aka stated, still smiling. There was something calculating in his gaze as it flickered over the silver male’s face, however. Hiei noticed it, and felt paranoia begin to prickle in the back of his mind. He could not forget that behind each teasing smirk or friendly word, these were all demons at least as capable of vicious cunning as Kurama could be.

A threat, and insult, or an offer, the fire youkai reminded himself. He frowned darkly at the red fox’s back. I wonder which this clown actually is?

Aka turned back toward him, and he carefully masked his suspicion behind indifference.

“So,” the amber-eyed kitsune said, “your name is Hige? You could have just told me that instead of running away.”

“I don’t run from annoyances like you,” Hiei replied matter-of-factly (he ignored the warning glance Youko shot his way). “I remove myself from their presence so as not to have to deal with them.”

“How cruel!” the demon fox complained dramatically. He cast a dismayed look in Youko’s direction. “His name means ‘humility,’ but he doesn’t have an ounce of it. I dare say his tongue could spear someone to death.”

“I dare say you’re right,” Kurama replied, secretly somewhat entertained by his mate’s abrasive behavior, in spite of the trouble it had the potential to cause. It wouldn’t have been Hiei without the bad attitude, and in any case, it was one way to keep most of the people who might have questioned his presence at bay. No one had yet had the gumption to interrogate the smallish apparition about who he was or what he was doing there, even if anyone had wondered.

“Well,” Aka said, catching his attention again, “here’s an idea: since we’re acquainted now, what would you say to sticking with me for the remainder of this gathering? Your friends don’t seem well adjusted, if I may say so, and I’d hate to see more people like that last fellow trying to pick fights with you all.”

“You’ve been watching us,” Kurama observed, mildly suspicious.

“Of course!” Aka replied easily. “It’s not everyday one gets to see the infamous Youko Kurama. You’re very conspicuous, friend.”

“Ah. I suppose that’s true.”

“You are…something of a celebrity,” the red kitsune remarked.

The fiery-maned reynard[5] grinned, and Hiei bristled from his place nearby at the amount of sly interest the expression held. If he didn’t know better, he would almost have thought the russet bastard’s “interest” was personal. He had just made up his mind to tell this Aka person to get lost, when Kurama spoke up first.

“Actually, I think it would be good to have someone around who already knows some of the people here, and who could give us some insight about the goings-on at this gathering. I wouldn’t be opposed to you accompanying us for a time.”

No, no, no! Hiei growled internally. Damnit, he’s annoying and invasive and happy-go-lucky; just tell him to go away!

He had half a mind to demand this exact thing directly into Kurama’s mind via the Jagan, too, but the return of Yusuke and Kuwabara distracted him.

“Hey, Kurama, did you ever find—oh, hey! There you are.” Yusuke gave Hiei’s shoulder a light punch. “We lost you after all those kids practically ran us over. What’s the matter, did they trample you and carry you off?” He was teasing, but Hiei had already had quite enough of that for the time being, and his response was a lethal glare.

“And where were you when I finally located Kurama in this mess of people?” he demanded crossly. “I thought the objective was to not become separated.”

“Hey! Don’t get pissed at me just because you’re too damn short to keep track of! It’s not my fault, and anyway, we were only supposed to stick together until we got used to all this. I’m not your frigging babysitter Hi—er, Hige, so get over it already.”

“I never asked you to ‘babysit’ me, Yuushin!” Hiei snarled back, his fox ears flattening angrily. “I don’t need you; it’s only that I thought, with this being a serious matter, we might all be more cautious!”

“We were being cautious; it’s you who got lost!” Yusuke shot back, the fur along his tail bushing aggressively.

“Guys, come on—” Kuwabara protested uncomfortably.

“Stay out of this!” Hiei snapped, and then hissed in surprise when Yusuke cuffed him sharply.

“Don’t take it out on him; he was looking for you too! For crying out loud, you’re being a complete ass!”

“Shut up! I don’t need a lecture from you!”

“You sure as hell need one from someone!”

“And you think you’re demon enough!? Don’t make me laugh!”

“God DAMNIT!” Yusuke roared, and without further ado, tackled his smaller teammate.

Kurama and Kuwabara stood gaping in shock as their comrades initiated an all out brawl in the grass. Kicking, punching, even clawing, the two snarled and fought like bitter enemies instead of years-long friends. Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the fight ended when one of the participants loosed a pained yelp, and both combatants sprang apart as though burned.

“You—you bit me,” Hiei exclaimed, stunned. He touched his arm gingerly where the skin bore unmistakable fang marks, and flinched a bit when he discovered that yes, his fellow fighter had indeed broken the skin, if only slightly.

Yusuke returned his incredulous stare; he couldn’t believe he’d done it either. Oh, sure, his ancestral father Raizen had chomped on people now and again while fighting, from what he’d seen, but he wasn’t and never would be Raizen. Where had the barbaric impulse come from? “Uh…sorry?” he offered lamely. He cringed when Hiei’s baffled look transformed into a sullen glare. Yeah, he’d hold a grudge over that one for a while, it seemed.

Kurama cocked his ears to the sides in confusion. That abrupt scuffle, fierce but almost ridiculously short, was almost identical to something a pair of actual kitsune might get into over an argument. He had seen others of his kind behave that way sometimes, from the method of combat to the way they disengaged immediately upon first blood. It was inherent in the nature of his species to resolve quarrels with each other that way from time to time, mostly owing to the partially animalistic aspect of their beings. But his fellow tantei were not true kitsune, so what had happened to cause them to behave in such a way?

“Why do people keep biting me?” Hiei muttered to himself, irritated.

Kurama took note of his posture. Currently, he was giving off mixed signals to some degree. His balled fists and laid back ears gave the impression of anger, but his temporary brush was tucked down in a way that indicated he was wary of further violence. It was interesting, and a little shocking, to be able to read him so easily. Hiei as he normally was would have been much better at concealing that wariness, and anyone would have been hard pressed to guess he was anything but angry at losing.

Because amongst members of my race, that would count as a loss, Kurama thought. Even though, under normal circumstances, Hiei would not concede defeat unless he was unconscious. The usual struggle between him and Yusuke would not end so quickly. Only one of my own kind would instinctively back down over such a trivial wound, because they would recognize it as a signal that the fight between friends was over. What on earth has just happened here?

His pale golden gaze travelled over his companions slowly, and a thought rose to the surface of his mind. Was it possible that not only their physical appearance had been altered? In transferring some of Kurama’s genetic material to the others, had Rando actually grafted some genuine kitsune traits into them as well?

He was not at all pleased with this prospect. Members of the kitsune race typically mastered their instincts by the time they reached young adulthood, because by then they had usually learned how to respond to other races and to each other in a mature fashion. Restraint was also essential to learning how to fight, because while instinct could carry a person a fair ways in a struggle, to best a skilled opponent took cunning and control, and the ability to think clearly. Youko Kurama had bested his own instincts at the tender age of fifteen, as his species reckoned time[6], and his iron control was part of what made him a prodigious fighter.

But his friends were being “kitsune” for the first time, and if the instincts characteristic of young, unrefined youko were a part of the deal…that could be disastrous. They had no experience with tamping down the impulses that were a part of kitsune nature, and those could be incredibly strong for someone not used to them.

Rando, what have you done? the silver fox thought gravely. It was not too farfetched to presume that the convicted criminal had anticipated this problem, and intentionally not warned them about it.

“Kurama,” Aka observed, “your friends are quite hot-blooded. Usually, it’s the kits who get into such squabbles.”

Youko frowned. “They have very competitive natures. Please excuse their quarrel; I’m certain it surprised them as much as us.” He gave Yusuke and Hiei a meaningful glance before turning back to the russet male. “I’d like to speak with my companions for a moment. Would you mind?”

“Not at all. I’ll be over there when you’re through.” As the red-haired fox walked away, he brushed his tail across the silver youko’s thigh. It was unclear whether or not this gesture was intentional, and Kurama failed to notice the slight smirk the other demon wore as he left.

Hiei did not, and he bristled dangerously. The bastard was hitting on his mate! And shamelessly at that!

He whirled on Kurama with every intention of pointing out this gross violation of all things decent and right, but his fury died abruptly when he met his lover’s deadly serious gaze.

“Hige,” Kurama said, stressing the false name only slightly. “Yuushin,” he added, including Yusuke as well. “This is a cause for concern. Tell me seriously: what possessed you just now?”

Yusuke shifted uneasily. “I don’t really know. You know we wouldn’t normally get into it that way.”

“I know,” the silver-haired demon replied. He lowered his voice, and indicated subtly that Kuwabara should come closer also. “Listen; I believe that when Rando used his spell to change your appearances and mask your energy, he also somehow transferred some of my kind’s basic instincts to you. Kitsune instincts are powerful, and though my race learns to control them early in our lives, you all have not had that sort of time to master them. Do you understand? You must exercise conscious control, or you may end up doing something on impulse that will jeopardize this mission.”

“Damn,” Yusuke exclaimed quietly. “And I thought it was just temporary insanity. This is worse, though, isn’t it?”

“Are we all gonna act crazy without thinking about it?” Kuwabara asked worriedly.

“No,” Kurama assured him. “At least, I don’t believe so. But you must be careful. If you respond badly to anything that happens here, questions will come up, and suspicions may be raised. I’m already on unsteady ground as it is; I would not want the demons here to become distrustful of you as well.”

Hiei frowned darkly. Though he could be as rash as the worst of them, the fact remained that in his pursuit of power he had spent many years cultivating control, and he did not like to lose it. The thought that a few drops of kitsune blood could steal that from him was insulting at his deepest level. He could see how it was possible, though. Kurama had been right about the aforementioned instincts being very strong; he had acted like a complete fool just now, and hadn’t even realized it until afterwards.

“I would prefer us to stay together even more now,” Kurama was saying when the fire demon focused on him again. “But the mission requires us to spread out eventually, and we will need to be prepared for that. This gathering could last a few more hours or a few more days, I don’t know. Try to observe in earnest from this point on, and pick up what you can about social norms.”

“We would’ve been doing that already,” Yusuke pointed out, “if we hadn’t lost ‘Hige’ back there. Now that we’ve found him, we can do what we came to do for real.”

“Yes. But try not to stress one another’s names anymore. People will begin to wonder about that.”

“Right.” Yusuke glanced over at where Aka stood making casual conversation with a few other foxes. “So, back to our tour guide?”

Kurama nodded, and Kuwabara and Yusuke headed over in the red kitsune’s direction. Hiei grasped the silver youko’s arm before he could follow.

“I don’t trust that happy bastard, Kurama,” the Koorime halfbreed told him. “You said there were rules about being too familiar, but he’s been breaking them since I ran into him.” The diminutive demon scowled. “And he’s too interested when it comes to you. I don’t like it.”

A smile slowly came to Kurama’s face. “Hiei…are you jealous?” His little lover reddened slightly and looked away, and he had to suppress a chuckle. “You don’t have to worry, you know. I promise you, I’ve only eyes for one person in all the three worlds, and that one is you.” He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to the smaller youkai’s cheek. Hiei snorted softly, but Kurama sensed he was pleased. “Come. We shouldn’t leave the other two to their own devices for long.”

“Hn. They might blow the place up if someone doesn’t keep an eye on them. Then again, blowing this place up would save us the trouble of sneaking around....”

“Absolutely not. We’re on reconnaissance.”

“Fine. But if I don’t get to kill something before this is over, I’m filing a complaint.”

Youko laughed quietly. “I think I would like to see you file a complaint. I’m sure it would leave our employer both surprised and dismayed.”

The two made their way back to their comrades, and their amiable new acquaintance. Kurama sighed mentally when Hiei gave Aka the evil eye when the red fox smiled at them. The fire demon’s hostility toward the russet kitsune could be trouble, and no mistake.

He could only hope that such was the only trouble they encountered on their mission. After all, fending off the advances of a stranger was highly preferable to a number of far less pleasant scenarios.

We all just need to keep our heads, he thought, in that optimistic fashion he had developed during his human lifetime. If we can do that one thing, everything will go smoothly. All we need to accomplish here is to gather the desired information, and then we are free to return home.

It was a simple enough task, and it would be fine, he told himself. In the back of his mind there lingered a sense of apprehension, but he ignored it. He had identified all the ways in which things could go wrong, and a little caution would prevent those. They were on the right track.

He just wished he knew whether or not the “track” in question was rigged with explosives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

[1] I figure Koenma would've forced a communicator on all of his tantei, even if he knew some of them would refuse to answer any calls. Once he no longer had to worry about Koenma bitching at him for not having it with him, Hiei would likely bust his into a million pieces with great satisfaction.

[2] Kuwabara has always shown Genkai great respect, even calling her "ma'm" in an instance or two. It's easy to forget that when one recalls his general loathing of his middle school teachers.

[3] I could be wrong about this, because most of the time Kuwabara's eyes are shown as black (in the anime). Sometimes, though, in rare shots, there is some blue in them. Could be lighting, or an emphasis on his mood at particular times, but I choose to go with that like many characters in anime, Kazuma's eyes only look black until you hit them with direct light, and then they change to their true color: blue.

[4] "Youko" is used as part of demon Kurama's name, but I believe it's actually more of a title. The word "youko" by itself is just another Japanese word for fox. I've used it in both context's in this fic.

[5] A "reynard" is apparantly a male fox, just like a "vixen" is a female. You can thank my lovebird Multi Facets for that bit of trivia; she's the one who first showed me the word. If I'm mistaken here, anyone can feel free to tell me. I'll feel very silly, but I'm sure I'll survive.

[6] Demons as a whole tend to live longer than humans. It's possible that some species might consider "age" in more relative terms than humankind does. For instance, a demon who is considered an adult in human years might still be thought of as a child by his longer-lived race. Ah, the theories. XD

Author's Note: Longest explanation section EVER. Sorry, guys. n_n;;

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That's it for chapter 3! Next up, I'm gonna try to respond to some reviews while I work on chapter 4. You're all the best, seriously. :)

One more thing: in light of the fact that only one person has stepped up so far, the art contest mentioned in chapter 2 is still on (go back and read that chapter for specifics). I've decided to wait to end the contest until the story is completed, to give everyone more time to enter. Good luck, and thanks for sticking around so long! I wouldn't enjoy writing so much if you weren't out there reading.

EDIT: As a matter of fact, I should announce the contest winner for October (if you'll recall, there was supposed to be one every month, and there will be until the fic is complete). Congratulations, Amiwryn! For your beautiful fanart of the "Tried and True" chapter 2, "Internal Conflict," I present you with your choice of either a sketch of your favorite YYH character, or a short fic for your favorite pairing. Make sure to read the specifications when making your request, and I'll get your prize emailed to you in a reasonable amount of time. You rock!