Brides

Hi everyone, we've finally got some of "Brides" up, special thanks to Kuroi who was kind enough to beta for me. It's a long story so like many fans have suggested we've divided this monster up into chapters. It also gives Kuroi some time to work with.

For any that are interested, I've almost done with the next chapter of the "Meikai War". If anyone wants to help Kuroi with beting it will insure it goes up faster, so if anyone's interest please e-mail. I can't say when the next chapter will actually go up, the holidays are here and I work at an electronic store. I'm still recovering from "Black Friday" (shiver).

Thanks and enjoy
b-chan AKA Saiyanb

In the Reikai, a prison cell was opened.

"Get out," said the guard to the cell’s only occupant. The demon had long, black hair with wild bangs. His eyes were narrow and a bright color of pink. The demon, all and all, was a handsome creature: muscular, but still slender and tall. He could have easily passed for a human if it weren’t for the short pair of horns that topped his head. The demon stood up and walked out of the cell where the guard placed handcuff over his already warded arms.

"What are you staring at?" said the guard, feeling uncomfortable with those pink eyes looking so intently at him.

"You might have made a pretty woman," said the demon. "It is a shame you were born male."

"W-what?!" stammered the guard, backing away from the strange creature. The guard growled and leveled his spear at the prisoner. "Get going, you pervert."

The demon smiled and followed the jailor 'until he found himself in a huge room facing a large man cast in shadows.

"You know who I am?" asked the man from the darkness.

"Yes, everyone knows who you are," replied the demon. "You put me in that cell all by myself without any beautiful woman to keep me company."

The shadowy figure smiled. "So you’re still the same. If I let you go now, what would you do?"

"That’s simple. I’d go to the Ningenkai, kill off all the ugly ape men, and keep all the woman for my self!" the demon burst out into hysterical laughter. It was obvious he had a few screws loose.

The shadowy figure smiled wider and tossed something at the demon’s feet.

"This is–!" exclaimed the demon, kneeling down and picking up a white, leather glove with red and black runes stitched all over it. He hugged the glove as if it were a long lost lover.

"I’m returning this item and I’ll even open a portal to the Ningenkai for you, Echi," said the figure.

The longhaired demon glanced at him and narrowed his eyes. "What’s the catch? With this glove you know I can change every human in the Ningenkai."

"I know," said the figure.

Echi grinned. "I see, well don’t think I’ll share. Once I’m done with the Ningenkai, all the women will be mine!" he laughed insanely again.

The shadowy figure only smiled to itself and watched as the demon continued to laugh. This was going to be fun to watch.

* * * * * * * * *

Kurama hummed to himself as he stirred the miso soup he was making for breakfast. In a harness on his back was little Ryu, his silver Youko kit. Ryu was a pretty mix between his and Hiei’s features. He had Hiei’s face and almond shaped, cat-like eyes, as well as the little fire youkai’s flame like head of hair. However, those gravity-defying locks matched Youko Kurama’s for color, and those almond shaped eyes were Shuuichi's startling green. The green was probably due to his mix up while hatching the Koorime eggs, though he wouldn’t change that even if he could now. It was a very pretty combination indeed; he wondered what the silver fox would look like when he matured, a heart breaker, no doubt. Although Ryu’s gentle personality was going to get him in trouble with such a face. The kit laughed happily as it batted at Kurama’s long hair pulled up in a ponytail.

Sitting at the table in a high chair was Flora, his other Youko kit. This one’s fox fur was black with white tipped ears and tail. Kurama supposed the coloration was from Hiei, though he found it odd that Hiei’s colors would go to Flora’s fox nature and his to her more human. Except for the eyes, Flora was a near carbon copy of Shuuichi. Her hair was the same color and shape, the shape of her face and eyes were also his, but those big eyes were Hiei’s blood red. Red hair and red eyes set on a soft, pale face; another heart breaker, no doubt about it. And she would break their hearts; Flora lacked Ryu’s gentle nature and was a real handful at times. The little black and white kit was having fun making a mess with her apple sauce, which was suppose to be eaten not smeared all over herself. Kurama looked over his shoulder at the happy redhead and smiled. She was incredibly cute making her mess, so he decided to just let her finish. He’d clean her up afterwards.

Little Ryu tugged on one of Kurama’s side locks. The redhead winced and pulled his hair free. He tickled the silver Youko’s cheek with his finger before turning back to the soup.

There was a yawn, and Kurama turned back to see Hiei in one of his white, button-down work shirts walking down the stairs while rubbing his eye. Kurama tried to hide his grin but failed; Hiei looked like a child in that way-too-big shirt. He couldn’t help but crack up when he realized the Koorime boy was also wearing his bunny slippers. Hiei, the flying shadow; a most feared and expert assassin walking down his stairs in a shirt that reached past his knees, the sleeves hanging way over his small hands, pink rabbits on his feet, and rubbing an eye and yawning: the very picture of innocence. It really was too much.

"What’s so funny?" asked Hiei, lowering his palm from his eye to glare at him. On his shoulder perched Tatsue, the child Hiei never seemed to go far without these days. Hiei undoubtedly loved all his litter, but he seemed to favor the Ryu cub in some ways. It probably had to do with the fact that the Ryu’s sire was circled so affectionately around his forearm, or that Tatsue looked so much like him. He lacked the white star in his mane of blue-black hair and had an odd mix of humanoid and dragon features; Hiei’s basic body shape and face, only with elongated feet ending in shape talons, clawed fingers, a reptilian tail, and bat like wings. In place of the Jagan stood a short, curved horn, much like a rose’s thorn, and on either side of his head above his ears, a long, straight horn jutted from his flame-like locks. His skin was also a smooth coat of black and white scales.

The dragon boy sniffed the air and his eyes landed on the pot Kurama was standing over. With a few flaps, Tatsue was now perched on Kurama’s shoulder, looking down into the pot curiously. Ryu giggled as Tatsue’s tail wagged before his face and reached up to pull on it, nearly causing the little dragon boy to fall off Kurama’s shoulder and into the pot; the little dragon was having a hard time gripping shoulders with his built-in booty pajamas.

"Hungry?" asked Kurama, reaching up a hand to run his finger through the dragon boy’s ultra-fine mane of thick hair. "It’ll be done soon."

Hiei walked over to them and pulled Tatsue off Kurama by the back of his light blue body suit. The Ryu cub flapped his wings and grinned widely, looking between the two, pleased to have both their attentions.

Just then there was a ring at the door. Kurama looked between the door and his soup, then glanced Hiei’s way. The fire demon snorted and went to the door, packing Tatsue under his arm. The dragon boy laughed, flapped his little wings, and enjoyed the ride.

Hiei blinked his ruby-red eyes as a smiling older woman’s face greeted him when he opened the door.

"Good morning, Hiei-chan," smiled Shiori.

The fire apparition frowned. "Good morning," he replied; although, not nearly as energetically as Shiori had. Kurama’s human mother had a bad tendency to just show up whenever she pleased. And, worst yet, she call him ‘chan’ and thought he was a she! Baka Kitsune, this was all Kurama’s fault. The fox and his little lies really put him off sometimes. He didn’t much care for the roles he had to play for Kurama’s mother in order to appease his fox lover. There was, however, one good thing about her coming over. Both he and Tatsue sniffed the air, eyeballing the pretty, wrapped box she held.

"I brought you an apple pie," she said, holding up the box.

In his arms, Tatsue cheered and jumped into Shiori’s arms. The older woman moved quickly to catch and cradle him as if he truly were the small, human child she thought him to be.

"Careful, Tatsue-chan. You don’t want to fall now, do you? It always surprises me how fast children grow. I mean they’re already walking and it seems like only yesterday you showed them to me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they were a lot older then they are." She laughed at that, petting Tatsue’s head–Tatsue was trying to figure out how to open the box.

A small smile touched Hiei’s lips. It was a good thing he’d taught Tatsue how to mask his dragon features the way Kurama had taught the two kits to do. Kurama had insisted, saying that since Tatsue was always with him, it was likely that Shiori would see him. So now the woman thought he’d had triplets. He wondered what she’d think if she knew that it’d been a litter of nine.

"Kurama,” Hiei called over his shoulder toward the kitchen. “It’s your mother," he plucked his son from the older human, who was clinging to the box with the pie in it still, fumbling to try and open it.

"Mom," smiled Kurama, walking out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel. "It’s good to see you."

Shiori went over to Kurama, face all aglow with a grandmother’s pride, to pull Ryu out of the harness that held him. "There’s my little Ryu-chan," she cooed, rubbing noses with the kit. The Youko baby picked up the scent of pie just as easily as Hiei and Tatsue had and was eyeing the box Hiei now held safely out of Tatsue’s reach. The kids all knew that when grandma showed up, she brought sweets with her.

"Come back here, you little thief!" shouted a voice from upstairs.

Everyone turned around to see Sake sliding down the stair rail with a pair of boxer shorts in her little hands. The girl flew off the rail with a "Whee!" and Hiei caught her with his free hand (Tatsue had once again reclaimed his perch on Hiei’s shoulder) by the back of her light green PJs. He eyed the boxers with little ghost clouds on them she held. Seconds later, Yuusuke came running down the steps, a towel around his waist, hair wet and plastered to his forehead; Raiko tucked under one arm. He froze at the bottom of the steps when he spotted Shiori.

"Yuusuke-kun, I didn’t know you were here. Did you spend the night with Hiei-chan and Shuuichi-kun again?"

"Um, yeah," said Yuusuke, getting a little red in the face. "The water broke at my house, so I asked if we could use his shower…again," he laughed stupidly and walked over to Hiei to snatch Sake from him. "You’re in trouble, Little Miss," said Yuusuke, taking his underwear from the pleased little girl.

Sake stuck her tongue out at him and broke free to run around the room; she was far too fast for a girl her age. No doubt she was going to be just as fast as Hiei someday. She looked human, but had the physique of a demon; strong and powerful like her birth parent and sires. Her eyes were like Yuusuke’s, big and brown, her hair, an accumulated mix of genetics. Forked like Hiei’s majin aspect, black with a green shine to it like Yuusuke’s, and side-locks that framed her face much like Yukina’s; a real wild hairstyle. Her brother, Raiko, was a mini Yuusuke, alike his father in every way. But power; in that he was the strongest of Hiei’s litter, with powers that branched from all his parents: Fire, Ice, Plants, and the ability to amass large amounts of raw power. He also possessed a third eye like his birth parent, which they’d all found odd. No one had figured the Jagan could be passed down like a genetic attribute, but Raiko was proof that it could be. His third eye, however, was the same blood red as Hiei’s natural pair.

"I’m going to get dressed," said Yuusuke, heading back up the steps. Sake skipped up after him.

"Yuusuke’s boy and girl sure are cute, aren’t they?" smiled Shiori. She tickled Ryu’s cheek. "It seems like all your friends had kids at the same time."

Kurama grinned and motioned for her to follow him into the kitchen. "Come on in, Mom, and have some breakfast with us."

All smiles, Shiori accepted. She handed Kurama Ryu to go to Flora and clean off the kit’s face.

* * * * * * * * *

In the Reikai, Koenma was busy stamping forms in his adult shape; he’d been using that form more often since he’d had a kid. He wanted to be more grown up in all aspects. He leaned back for a little break and watched his son, Shinigami, play with a Lego table in the corner of his office. Shinigami possessed his coloring and body shape, but his mother’s wild hairstyle. Thick, rich brown spikes with a white star burst at his forehead. With the pacifier in his mouth, he looked more like Koenma then his birth parent, Hiei.

This parenting stuff was harder then he thought it would be, but worth it. A frown replaced his smile. It’d already been a few months since Hiei had his litter and he still hadn’t asked the three tantei to marry him. He gulped, wondering which was worse: facing the wrath of his three pretty boys or the wrath of his father? A look of doom crossed Koenma’s face. If he pissed off his three boyfriends they could do terrible things to him: beat him up, refuse to talk to him...withhold sex! Koenma was particularly against the last one. On the other hand, if his father got pissed, he’d cause earthquakes and disasters all over the Ningenkai. Which could mean tons of paperwork for him, possible punishment, not to mention the lives of all three of his boyfriends and their litter.

Koenma slapped a hand over his face. What was he going to do? Maybe he should just get it over with and ask them. The butterflies in his stomach attacked him at the thought.

"I’m scared!" cried Koenma.

"Koenma-sama!" shouted George, running into the office.

"Eh?" said the god, turning to look at him.

"Koenma! Bad news! An S-class demon escaped from Reikai prison and is loose in the Ningenkai. The worst part is he’s suppose to be completely insane!" The blue oni slapped a file down on Koenma’s desk to show it to him.

"Ah, this is very bad; very, very bad," said the god, scooping up the file and running an eye quickly over it. "Get Botan and tell her to tell Yuusuke at once. I’ll have his team get on it right away."

"Yes, Koenma-sama!" shouted George, running out of the room.

Koenma got up from his chair and walked over to pick up his son. "Looks like we’re going to see Hiei Okaasan and Kurama and Yuusuke Ojisan," he said to the baby, tapping a finger against its cheek. The infant gurgled and grabbed hold of the finger, happily shaking it.

* * * * * * * * *

After breakfast, Shiori finished her visit and said her good byes. Kurama was cleaning the dishes while everyone else was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Man, Kurama, you need to tell your mother to call before coming over," said Yuusuke. "I mean, it’s getting hard to explain why I’m always spending the night here and using your shower."

"I know, but she likes seeing the kids," said Kurama, finishing his chores and sitting down.

The peaceful morning was shattered as a ferry girl’s voice hollered out, "Yuusuke!"

Everyone turned to see Botan and Hisa in a back harness floating on an oar before the window. Hisa was like Botan only with Yukina’s coloration: light, aqua hair and deep, red eyes.

"Botan-chan," said Kurama, opening the window and allowing the ferry girl to fly in. Botan jumped down and returned her oar to hammer space.

"Good morning, everyone," she chirped. "Koenma’s got another case for you."

Yuusuke groaned and banged his head on the table. "You’d think he’d give us a break once and awhile. Can’t he get someone else to do it? I was hoping to spend the day ‘doing’ something… or someone," he uttered that last part softly under his breath while eyeing Hiei and Kurama.

Botan either didn’t pick up on Yuusuke’s implied meaning or didn’t care to show that she had. "Sorry, Yuusuke, this demon is S-class. We don’t have any one else strong enough to handle him. Koenma wants you to come to the Reikai for more details."

Yuusuke stretched and stood up. "Well, I guess I could use a little exercise. Wait-" he grinned as he looked at Sake and Raiko.

* * * * * * * * * * *

"Koenma-sama," sang Botan, skipping into the room. "Yuusuke and the others are here."

"Let them in," said the Prince of Death, looking down at the file on his desk with a puzzled face. He looked up when they entered and was a little surprised to see they’d brought the kids with them. Well, Kuwabara had left Keith and Hotaru home with Yukina, but the rest of the litter was present.

"Okay, Koenma, what’s it this time?" asked Yuusuke. "Vampires, fleshing eating demon, stolen artifacts?" asked the raven-haired man.

Koenma shook his head. "I’m not sure just what he is, most of the information in his folder is missing."

"Missing?" said Kurama.

Koenma nodded and pushed a button on his remote control. The screen on his wall showed a picture of a handsome demon with two short horns, long black hair, and pink eyes. "This is Echi, he was arrested 500 years ago for invading the Ningenkai and causing quite a commotion. We’re not sure just what he did, but it must have been bad, because his file says he’s insane."

"Insane, ne?" asked Yuusuke looking at the picture. "Well, don’t worry. He’ll be back, talking to himself in his cell soon enough. until then-" he put Sake and Raiko down on Koenma’s desk. "Have fun."

"W-what?" said the Prince of Death.

Kurama smiled and put his two kits down to play with Shinigami. "Keep an eye on them, Koenma, Flora can get a little fussy."

The Prince of Death paled.

"Be good," said Hiei to Tatsue, throwing the dragon boy off his shoulder and up into the air. Laughing, Tatsue flapped over to Koenma and perched on his head.

"We’ll pick up the kids when we’re done," called Yuusuke, walking out the door; Kurama and Hiei at his heels.

"Wait a minute!" cried Koenma. Too late, they were gone. He eyed the six little kids; a long pause of silence filled the room. Then Little Ryu started to whimper, already missing his redhead daddy. He started crying and soon the rest of the kids joined him.

"George!" cried Koenma.

* * * * * * * * *

Echi looked around the busy streets of the Ningenkai with sparking eyes. "Look at all the women!" he squealed in delight. "Oh, she’s a babe; no, she’s hot; or her! Which one should I make my first harem girl?!" he shouted out loud, getting the attention of those around him.

He grinned widely to himself and ran after one blond haired girl who was walking by. "I’ll start with you!" he sang, grabbing her.

"Hey! Let go, you pervert!" shouted the girl, trying to pull away from the demon’s grip, beating her purse on his head and shoulder. "Help! Help! Police!" she shouted.

The demon touched her with his gloved hand and said a single word. She disappeared.

"Hey, you!" shouted a policeman. He and his partner ran up to the demon. "What did you do to that girl!" demanded the cop, grabbing hold of the front of Echi’s shirt.

The demon frowned looking at the cop that had touched him. He was bolding and heavy in the middle, past his prime with a thick mustache and crocket teeth. "You’re not pretty at all," he said to the cop holding him. He turned and looked at his partner who was a pretty, sandy haired man; tall and lean. "Now you, on the other hand, are."

The sandy haired cop took a step back from the strange man.

"I just can’t resist the ones in uniforms,” sighed the demon in a dreamy fashion. “It’s settled then, I’ll add you to my collection," said the demon licking his lips suggestively.

"I don’t think so, pal," said the other cop, still holding his shirt. "We’re bringing you in and you’re going to tell us what happened to that girl."

The demon narrowed his eyes at the cop. "I’m going to kill all the ugly ape men and kept the women for myself!" he shouted; a wave of youki hit the cop and sent him crashing through a clothing store window. Echi grinned and turned to look at the sandy haired cop who was now pointing a gun at him.

"Freeze! Don’t move a muscle. You’re under arrest for assaulting an officer. Lie down on the ground and put your hands behind your head!"

Echi grinned and stepped forward towards the cop.

"I said freeze! If you come any closer, I’ll shoot!" warned the cop.

Echi kept walking forward. The cop fired off several shots, but cried out in shock as Echi disappeared from in front of him and reappeared to his side. Echi grabbed the gun and broke it to pieces in his hand. His other hand grabbed the sandy haired cop’s arm and twisted it behind his back. The sandy haired cop hissed in pain and arched up on his toes.

"Ah, yes, you are rather pretty," said Echi, taking hold of the cop’s chin and looking at his face. "I’m definitely adding you to my harem."

"Don’t be stupid! I’m a guy!" shouted the cop, wiggling in his hold.

"Not for long," smiled Echi, putting his gloved hand on the cop’s chest. A pink light surrounded the two and the cop cried out. When the light faded, the sandy haired cop stared in horror at his now busty front.

"I-I’m a w-w-woman!" screamed the cop before fainting.

Echi smiled happily to himself, holding the unconscious cop. "That’s two!" he sang, touching the cop, who disappeared like the blond girl had.

Echi looked up to see people staring at him with large eyes.

"Come to papa!" shouted Echi running at them. Girls and men alike screamed and ran from him. He chased them down, laughing the whole time.

"I will kill all the ugly ape men and all the woman shall be mine!"

* * * * * * * * * * *

"I wish we knew what kind of power this Echi guy has," said Kuwabara.

"We won’t know until we find him," said Yuusuke. "Hey Hiei! See anything?!" he shouted up at the fire demon that was scanning the city with his third eye. The Koorime boy closed his Jagan and wrapped the bandana around his forehead.

"There’s a demon up the street a few blocks, I noted several human reiki disappearing."

"Crap! He’s killed people!" said Kuwabara. "He’s going to pay for that!" he shouted, running down the street.

"Wait! Kuwabara! Don’t just charge in!" shouted Kurama, running after the carrot-top man.

Yuusuke shrugged his shoulders and looked at Hiei.

"Hn," said the fire demon, and was gone in a blur of black.

* * * * * * * * *

Echi looked around for more humans to add to his collection, but they all seemed to have run away. That was okay; he could just as easily go to a different part of the city and start over with a new batch.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha! Soon I will have the largest harem in all the three worlds!" shouted the demon insanely.

"Hold it right there!" shouted a booming voice.

Echi turned around to see a tall carrot-top man standing behind him. He frowned, definitely an ugly ape-man, he decided, turning to face the man. He smiled in pure delight as perhaps one of the most beautiful creatures he’d ever seen ran up to stand next to the carrot-top man. Echi could hardly breathe! She was tall and slender, with long, flaming red hair, soft, peach skin, and large, liquid green eyes. He had to have her!

"Oh, you’re so beautiful!" said Echi.

"Flattery will get you nowhere!" shouted Kuwabara.

"Um- Kuwabara," said Kurama.

"Not you, you ape man! That Venus by your side. Come to me, my pretty, I must have you for my collection."

"Collection?" said Kurama, hand reaching up into his hair to pull out a red rose. "Rose whip!" shouted Kurama, snapping the rose into a long, thorned whip.

Echi licked his lips. "Kinky," he grinned, and disappeared.

"What?! Where’d he go?!" shouted Kuwabara looking around. Something hit him hard in the side, Kuwabara felt several of his ribs crack and at least one break. He landed hard on the pavement, the wind knocked out of him. He looked up to see Echi standing over him his arm raised up to deliver another strike.

"Kuwabara!" shouted Kurama snapping up his whip. It wrapped around the demon’s raised arm.

Echi turned his attention back to Kurama. "What beauty," he said, stepping towards the redhead. He grabbed the whip and tore it off his arm, not even noticing the gashes the thorns make on his skin.

Kurama hissed under his breath, did this demon even feel pain? He brought out another rose from his hair. "Rose-!"

In a second, a hand was clasped over his mouth, another wrapped around his waist from behind.

"Ah, ah, ah, my pretty little redhead," said the demon, rubbing his cheek against Kurama’s silky hair. "Let’s not fight. I’ve got so much more I rather do with you."

"Kurama!"

Kurama turned his head to see Hiei running his way, Yuusuke behind him. The redhead blinked his eyes several times as they disappeared. He looked around, no, they hadn’t disappeared: he had!

Yuusuke gasped in shock as the demon raised up a white-gloved hand and touched Kurama. The redhead vanished into thin air! "Kurama!" he shouted, charging the demon. His fists worked in a blur, but none of them landed. Damn that demon was fast!

Hiei leapt at Echi sword singing through the air. The longhaired demon noticed just in time and leapt back out of both boys’ reach. He laughed at them.

"Well, it seems that I’ve run out of game to hunt in this area. So there’s no point in remain here any longer. I’m going to get to know your redhead friend some more. Bye bye!" he laughed and disappeared through a portal.

"Damn it!" shouted Yuusuke punching the ground. He heard Kuwabara groan and went over to his friend. "Kuwabara, are you all right?"

The carrot-top man hissed between his teeth as Yuusuke helped him up. "Do I look alright?"

"We’d better get you to Yukina," said Yuusuke, feeling his friend’s broken ribs.

"Hn, you take him. I’m going to look for Kurama and that demon," said Hiei.

"What?! No Hiei-!"

Too late the demon in black was already gone.

"Damn it!" shouted Yuusuke. "Come on, we’d better hurry. If that demon could get Kurama so easily, I don’t want Hiei fighting him alone."

* * * * * * * * *

Kurama looked around, he was in a large room with several other girls; many were crying, others were huddled in groups.

"What’s going to happen to us!" cried one girl.

Kurama looked around until he spotted a girl in a police uniform. He walked over to the woman. "Miss. Can you help me? Maybe we can get everyone together and-"

Kurama was rudely cut off.

"Miss!" screamed the woman, grabbing Kurama by the front of his shirt. "I’m a man!" The police officer trembled, hands slipping from Kurama’s shirt. "At least, I used to be," she whispered.

Kurama blinked his large, green eyes in confusion. "What happened?" he asked, sitting down next to the officer.

"It was terrible," said the officer. "Me and my partner were writing up a ticket for someone that had parked in a no parking zone, when this guy with long black hair and pink eyes grabbed this woman. She just disappeared into thin air! Naturally we went over to question him. My partner was attacked; I don’t know if he’s okay. After throwing him through a window, that guy turned on me. I didn’t know someone could be that fast! He was in front of me one moment and beside me the next. He touched me and then…. Oh, god," said the officer, starting to cry. "That’s when I changed into this!" she shouted, pointing at her chest.

"He changed you into a woman just by touching you?" said Kurama with wide eyes. He reached up and patted his chest. still flat, thought Kurama, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Yes," sobbed the officer. "What am I going to tell my wife?!" she wailed.

"It’ll be alright," said Kurama, patting her shoulder. "We’ll just have to get that guy to change you back. You’ll see, you’ll be back to normal in no time."

"Thank you, Miss," cried the officer and hugged Kurama.

"Miss!" Said Kurama.

The officer pulled away and looked at Kurama, she poked at his chest. "Oh, my god! You’re a guy!" she shouted.

"Shh!" said Kurama, slapping a hand over her mouth. "Not so loud, I don’t want that guy to know and do the same thing to me."

"Oh, okay," said the officer.

Just then there was a flash and in the middle of the room now stood Echi. Several girls cried out, backing away in fear.

Echi laughed and turned in a circle looking at his collection.

"Welcome, ladies, to your new home." He snapped his fingers and doors open on all four sides of the square room. Little chibi demons looking like a cross between a human and a cat, ran into the room. "My servants will settle you in and clean you up," said Echi.

The herd of woman was divided up and dragged away by the little neko demons. Kurama tried to pry them off of him, but soon he found himself being carried along by a sea of the little creatures as they chanted ‘clean you up, clean you up, pretty lady, pretty lady.’

"Ah, my little redhead," said Echi, spotting Kurama as he tried to swim out of the horde of little neko demons.

"Crap," said Kurama under his breath as Echi walked toward him.

Echi took hold of Kurama’s chin and looked into his face. "Make sure you take extra special care of this one. I’ll want to play with her later," he said, releasing Kurama’s chin.

"Yes, Echi-sama!" sang the nekos. "Pretty you up! Pretty you up!" they chanted once again, sweeping Kurama up and carrying him away.

"Wait a minute!" protested Kurama as he tried to make heads over tails of the sea of chibi neko demons and where they were going. He couldn’t see any of the other girls any more; hell, all he could really see were the little neko demons.

"Clean you up!" they sang, stopping in front of a large bath.

Kurama screamed in protest as they began to tear off his clothes. Butt naked, they tossed him into the pool size bath. Kurama came up with a gasp for air; coughing, he sank back down into the water. Crap! They were sure to figure out he wasn’t a she!

"Clean you up! Clean you up!" sang the nekos pulling out brushes and soap. They jumped into the water and began to lather Kurama up. They didn’t seem to care that he was a he. Kurama blinked his large green eyes: the only thing that could be seen among all the soapsuds.

"Rinse!" shouted the little demons before dunking Kurama under the water.

Kurama came up coughing and looking a bit like a drowned fox. The neko demons dragged him out of the water and began to dry him off vigorously until his hair stuck out in all directions.

"I can dry myself!" cried Kurama through the towel one neko was using to dry off his face. They ignored him and kept drying him until only his hair was only slightly damp.

Kurama gladly put on the robe they gave him and only sighed in defeat as they dragged him over to a vanity mirror and made him sit down at it.

"Pretty you up!" they sang, picking up make up, brushes, and hairpins.

Kurama sweat dropped as they attacked him.

TBC