Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Is This For Real...? ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did, then I wouldn't be depending on my parents for an allowance. I do not own the pendant design. The original character belongs to me. The dragon scale weaving is also mine. If you steal from me then I will sue you.

 

These quotation marks ' ' and/or italics mean that the character is thinking. The asterisk and italics like *this* signifies Hiei and Kurama talking telepathically.

 

Chapter Two

 

~*~*~*~

 

The first thing that Kurama noticed when he woke up was that the house was silent. The second thing he noticed was that it was 2:34 A.M. It was Saturday, he had no school, and he had finished his homework the night before. What in all of the three worlds could have woken him up?

 

His eyes widened when he heard soft footsteps in the yard outside, each grass-muffled thump accompanied by a fleeting sense of power. That was the first indication that the person was an extremely powerful yokai. Only the strongest demons could absorb their auras into their bodies, but this one was inexperienced: their <i>ki</i> flared in time with their pace. They weren't able to completely conceal their presence.

 

The kitsune crept over to his window and carefully gripped the metal-framed pane of glass. He quietly pushed the panel up and locked it in place. Scents and sounds from outside the house drifted into his room. Aided by the light of the full moon, he scanned the yard and discovered the source of the aura.

 

Kimi was wearing a shin-length sleeveless white dress. Its neckline was scooped, but it only revealed her collarbone and a few inches of skin. Her wavy brown hair, dark near her scalp and fading a few shades as it grew out, floated around her shoulders. She was barefoot, and she was dancing in the dew-soaked grass. Her skin, tanned in normal light, was a smooth silvery-white shade that was reminiscent of starlight. Then something glittering around her neck caught his attention.

 

It was a necklace of some kind. The chain was long and the pendant rested on her chest, about seven inches below the hollow at the base of her throat.

 

The pendant itself was a cast-pewter outline of a heart. The two “v”s, one at the top of the heart and one on the bottom, each held a rose. The top rose held a small ruby, and the bottom rose held what appeared to be a small, upside-down light catcher. The “light catcher” was shaped like a quartz crystal and touched the base of the top “v,” dividing the heart outline in half. All in all, it was a beautiful piece of jewelry.

 

Kurama heard a rustling sound and moved away from the window, allowing Hiei to slip into the room.

 

“Interesting guest.”

 

“When did she go outside?”

 

“The sound of the door woke you up.”

 

Kurama frowned. “She looks like one of the Fae Folk.” (1)

 

“Hn.”

 

“I take it that she reminds you more of a Siren?” (2)

 

“Yes. Especially with a voice like that.”

 

“What?”

 

“Listen.”

 

Kimi's voice floated through the night air, audible to the two demons only because of their acute hearing.

 

This won't be the first time

I've stayed behind to face

The bitter consequences

Of an ancient fall from grace.

 

Hiei and Kurama listened to the captivating song as the girl wove out the story that the lyrics told through her.

 

I am not a stranger to the rain.

Orphan in the storm

That's a role I've played before

I've learned not to tremble

When I hear the thunder roar

I don't curse what I can't change

I just play the hand I'm dealt

When they lighten up the rations

I tighten up my belt

I won't say I've never felt the pain

I am not a stranger to the rain

 

In unspoken agreement, the two friends went outside. Hiei had to help the fox out the window to avoid making any noise.

 

But I am bound to walk among

The wounded and the slain

And when the storm

Comes crashing on the plain,

I will dance before the lightning

To music sacred and profane!

Oh~!

 

The two perched in the tree and listened as she drew out the “oh,” setting the cool night air vibrating with that pure note.

 

Shed no tears for me!

Light no candle for my sake.

This journey I'll be making now

Is one we all must make.

Shoulder to the wind

I'll turn my face into the spray

 

Hiei dropped down from the tree. Kurama bit back a curse and followed suit.

 

I am not a stranger

To the rain.

 

She held out the word “rain” for seven seconds.

 

Let it-

 

The two watching demons didn't dare to breathe for fear of not hearing what came next.

 

Rain~!

 

This note she held for a full ten seconds. Even Hiei looked slightly impressed at her ability to hold out a note for an extended amount of time, even after dancing and singing simultaneously. Everything was silent when the girl's voice faded away. Even the wind seemed to stop. It was in this silence that Kimi collapsed, panting from the exertion of singing while performing a whirling, intricate dance at the same time.

 

Hiei motioned for Kurama to stay where he was and crept up behind Kimi, who had just stood up. The fire demon was a few inches shorter than her, so the teenager didn't see him.

 

“You have quite a lung capacity.”

 

In the blink of an eye Hiei was flat on his back in excruciating pain. The agony was probably due to the fact that Kimi was shoving his elbow straight and applying pressure to the overstressed joint using a figure four arm bar.

 

Kurama couldn't help but hurry towards his friend. Never before had anybody been able to do that to Hiei, so this was unexpected. The aforementioned demon glared at Kurama before trying to get out of the hold Kimi had on him. “Lemme up!”

 

“Why were you two spying on me?”

 

The two friends froze and developed numerous sweatdrops. Kimi sighed in annoyance before releasing Hiei's arm and getting off the right half of his ribcage where she had been lying. The unfortunate youth gasped for breath. One hundred and ten pounds thrown down on his lungs and general solar plexus area (3) had not been comfortable.

 

While Hiei lay coughing on the ground, Kurama asked a question that had been nagging at the back of his mind since he had heard Kimi sing. “What's the name of that song?”

 

“What song?”

 

“The one you were singing.”

 

“How much of that did you two see?”

 

Hiei sat up, rubbing his sore ribs. “All of it. What were you doing?”

 

“Following my gut instinct. It just seemed right to get outside and dance under the full moon, and the song seemed appropriate for this setting.” Kimi swept her hand around to indicate the moon, clear sky, the dew-soaked lawn, and her clothing. “The song's name is Stranger to The Rain.” (4)

 

“And I've been meaning to ask,” Hiei pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly as his injury protested the movement of his upper torso. “What are you wearing?”

 

“You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”

 

“Try me.”

 

Kimi and the short, black-clad fire demon had a two-minute staring contest. Kimi won by snapping her fingers in front of his eyes. Hiei batted her hand away irritably.

 

“If you must know, it's a dress of woven ivory, silver, and pearl dragon scales.”

 

The two boys looked at each other before turning skeptical gazes on the girl.

 

“It's true!”

 

“How do you weave dragon scales?”

~*~*~*~

 

Across the street, several people lurked in the area between two houses.

 

“So that's the exchange student? How dare she be so friendly with our Suuichi?!”

 

“Calm down. He's ours and we know it.”

 

“But this is a major insult!”

 

“I know. As the Vice President of the Suuichi fanclub, and for our absent president, I will not stand for this. Girls, we are going to make that American wish that she had stayed at home!”

 

The Suuichi fanclub slipped off to their homes to plot how to make school a living Hell for Kimi.

 

~*~*~*~

 

Kurama sneezed before his guest could answer. `Somebody's talking about me…' Rolling her eyes, Kimi dragged the two into the house and up to her room. After getting Kurama a box of tissues and persuading Hiei not to touch her computer, she sat down in the desk chair after evicting said irritated fire demon.

 

“So you want to know how to weave dragon scales? It's no easy task.” She frowned and paused to think before continuing. “To put it simply, the scales are heated to melting temperature. When they are soft enough, they are drawn through a small hole in a very strong, heat-resistant square of a rare material. The starting hole is about one centimeter in diameter. This process is repeated until the scale is thin and long enough to be called thread after being drawn through many holes, each a little smaller than the last. It can take over six months, but one scale can make ten spools of thread. This string is extremely hard to break, impossible to stain, can be made into just about any article of clothing, and very long lasting. The only problem is, dragon scales themselves are getting very hard to come by. Never mind the thread.”

 

“How'd you come by the dress you're wearing?”

 

“Family heirloom. My family holds in its possession the only remaining pieces of dragon scale clothing.” She allowed the two to carefully touch a square of the silky material that she dug from one of the dresser drawers, cautioning them about the age of the fabric.

 

Kurama cut in gently after dropping his hand from the legendary cloth, not wanting to be cruel to the girl that he was just starting to understand. “Kimi, you do know that the reason you were accepted by the program is because you're an orphan, don't you?”

 

“Of course I do. I've been an orphan since I was four.”

 

“Wait. That means that you're the owner of all of the dragon scale clothing in the world.”

 

“Yes. Precisely.”

 

Hiei, who had been standing the whole time, sat down heavily next to Kurama on the bed. “Great. Another human who may have connections to the Demon World. As if Yusuke wasn't enough.” Kimi smacked him lightly on the ribs, but his sudden coughing fit was not the response she had expected.

 

Kurama immediately forced Hiei to lie on his side and gently probed the area where the schoolgirl had struck him. Kimi realized a few seconds too late that that was where she had allowed her weight to come crashing down on him when he had surprised her after she had completed her dance. The fire demon growled and lashed out at the kitsune. Kimi held him down as Kurama finished making sure that there was no serious injury. “Kimi, I think that you separated some of Hiei's ribs when you pulled that Judo move on him.”

 

“It's the haru makikomi, and it's from Ju Jitsu.”

 

“Whatever. He's got something wrong with his ribcage now.”

 

“Gomen, but I expected him to be able to counter the move. Especially with his speed…”

 

Kurama stared at her with unblinking eyes before asking, “How do you know about that?!”

 

“Uh…” `Way to go, Kimi. You have just officially blown your cover.'

 

“Well?”

 

“…It just seemed strange that he was able to appear and disappear in seconds but not give off any sense of power. I'm clairvoyant, and I would have sensed any kind of metaphysical energy. That only left speed.”

 

“And exactly how clairvoyant are you?”

 

“I dunno…very?” `Thank the Kami! They believed me.'

 

Kurama sighed. *Hiei, what are we going to do? I can't take you to Genkai's, or Kimi will wonder where I went. The hospital is not an option, and if we go to the Spirit World, the same scenario applies as at Genkai's. The Demon World is out of the question. That leaves this world.*

 

*I don't need medical attention.*

 

*Yes, you do!*

 

*I refuse.*

 

*I'll go get Yukina. And while I'm at it, I'll tell her that you're her brother.*

 

Silence. Then, *I'll cooperate.*

 

*You'd better.*

 

They were interrupted by Kimi. She was powering up her computer, and the sound was startlingly loud in the morning quiet. The teenager shrugged and logged onto the Internet. She blinked in surprise. “A new e-mail? From Yukiko?” Realization dawned. Kimi blindfolded the boys and made them face the wall so that they couldn't read the message.

 

Dear Kimi,

OF COURSE SUUICHI MINAMINO IS KURAMA!! That's his human name. I can't believe you're staying with him! You know what? I think it is time I came back home for a visit. At least for the rest of the school year. I'm sure that you won't mind having a friend close by. So, keep your cell phone on. I'll be arriving sometime next week! Give Kurama my love! (Oh, and my arrival will possibly be late next week. I have some stuff to do first.)

 

~Luffles~

 

Yukiko

 

P.S.-I'll arrive in my human form.

 

P.P.S.-Tell Vice President Meiko that I sent you there.

 

P.P.P.S.-Oh, and I almost forgot: everyone says Hi.

 

Kimi groaned and started banging her head against the desk. She closed the message window and allowed her two companions to have their sight back. After some debate, it was decided that Hiei would stay in Kurama's room. More precisely, Kurama's closet. He had protested, saying that Shiori was much less likely to come into Kimi's room, but Kimi made it quite clear that she was not sharing her room with a boy she had met only hours ago. Besides, Kurama's closet was recently converted into a walk-in, so there was more room for Hiei to hide and move around.

 

After Kurama and Hiei left, Kimi collapsed onto her bed. “What have I gotten myself into?” She quickly changed into a T-shirt and long, lose pants made of thin black cotton. The shirt was also cotton of a similar thickness and color. It said “The Youngest Wizards are the Most Powerful,” (5) and was her favorite piece of sleepwear. Carefully folding up the shimmering white dress, Kimi put it in the bottom drawer of the dresser. She closed the drawer before she could see what was inside. She knew what was there, and the memories were still too painful, even after ten years.

 

Meanwhile, in Kurama's room, the kitsune was having some trouble.

 

“Hiei, it's a closet. All that's in there are some boxes, my shoes, and my clothes. There is nothing dangerous!”

 

“Hn.” The fire demon eyed the walk-in closet suspiciously. Kurama's eyes nearly crossed in frustration. He walked down to Kimi's room for the second time that morning. “Kimi?”

 

“Nnnrgh.”

 

“Hiei is being stubborn and uncooperative. Any ideas?”

 

The door opened and Kimi ran a hand through her tangled hair. “I'm coming, I'm coming.”

 

Kurama and his adolescent guest walked into his room to see Hiei standing by the open door to the closet, his arms crossed over his chest. Kimi stomped over the Jaganshi and stabbed a finger towards the closet. “You are going to deal with it. End of story.”

 

“Oh really?”

 

“Really.”

 

“Make me.”

 

“Bite me!”

 

“With pleasure.”

 

“I'll tickle you.”

 

That stopped Hiei dead in his tracks. “Touch me and you die.”

 

“He's not ticklish.”

 

“Darn.” `So much for the reliability of fanfics.'

 

Suddenly Kimi jumped and shoved a hand in her pocket. She pulled out a vibrating cell phone. Looking at the caller I.D. she saw that it was Midori. The hand that wasn't holding the phone twitched in a strangling motion as she flipped open said communication device. “Midori, what are you doing? It is-” Kimi glanced at Kurama's bedside clock. “Three twenty-one over here. That would be three twenty-one A.M.”

 

“I was just wondering what you were doing.”

 

Kimi did the math. “It's six twenty-one in the morning where you are. Why aren't you getting ready for school?”

 

“I'm at school. Kimi-chaaaaan, it's booooring without you here… And Karu won't stop picking on meeee…”

 

“Quit whining. I told you, I'll stay in contact through e-mail.”

 

“But it's not the same!”

 

Kimi glared at Hiei. “Hang on a second, Midori.” She put her hand over the receiver. “Look, Hiei, if you're not going to stay in the closet, you can sleep in Kurama's dresser.” Ignoring the infuriated demon, Kimi returned to her conversation. “Sorry about that.”

 

“Who were you talking to?”

 

“A vertically challenged emo.”

 

“WHAT?!”

 

Kurama had to hold back his friend to prevent him from murdering Kimi. “Hiei, calm down. She's probably in a very bad mood, suffering from jet lag, and -”

 

“And is thoroughly pissed off at her best friend. Hiei, you're short. Get over it.”

 

“You're short too!”

 

“I'm taller than you are!”

 

“So you're five foot one, big deal.”

 

“Hiei, if you don't shut up I will reveal your darkest secret.”

 

Hiei's eyes widened. “Stay away from Yukina!”

 

“Who said anything about your sister?”

 

“How do you know about her?”

 

“It's written all over your face, shrimp.”

 

“Shrimp?!?!”

 

Kimi grinned and leaned down to Hiei's level so that she could whisper in his ear. “I know what your chibi form looks like.”

 

Kurama and Hiei started choking for different reasons: Kurama was choking on his laughter and Hiei was choking on his rage. Since he couldn't talk while choking, Hiei flipped Kimi the bird. That was possibly the worst thing to do.

 

Kimi whacked Hiei on the ribs again, and this time she wasn't too gentle. Making a point of glaring down at Hiei, Kimi spoke to her friend again. “Midori, I'm really tired right now. I'll call you back later, when I'm not spoiling for a fight. Bye.” Click.

 

The two males in the room were treated to Kimi's best death glare. It was uncomfortably analogous to sitting in a cage while many people stared at you with unwavering attention. Both of them suddenly gained a new respect for animals at the zoo.

 

“I do not want to be disturbed while I sleep unless I'm still in bed at noon. Then you can come and get me out of my room. Is that clear?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Hn.”

 

“Good.” Kimi left the room. An uncomfortable silence followed.

 

Hiei sighed. “I'll sleep in the closet.”

 

“Thank you.” The two friends went to sleep, not really sure about how safe they were with the stranger from America staying in the house.

 

~*~*~*~

Is this the second chapter already? These are going by very quickly… I' sorry about the excessive dialogue, but still, please review!!

 

(1) Fae Folk: the old way or saying Fair Folk. They are traditionally Irish and their authentic name is Daoine Sidhe (shee), Tuatha de Danaan, and Tir (teer) na nOg (nogh).

 

(2) Sirens were women with beautiful voices that lured sailors to their deaths.

 

(3) You do not want to be hit there! It is the area just below where the two sides of the ribcage join, and your lungs can stop working if you are hit there hard enough.

 

(4) Don't own. Listen to the soundtrack to Children of Eden and you'll hear it.

 

(5) Again, don't own. I highly recommend the book series! To learn more about this shirt and the books that inspired it, go to http://www.youngwizards.com/ and http://www.cafepress.com/buy/ddwizards/-/pv_design_prod/p_storeid.46276593/ pNo_46276593/id_10914285/opt_/pg_/c_/fpt_ in that order.