Crossover Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Kitsune's Tail ❯ Memory of Perfection ( Chapter 2 )

A Kitsune's Tail

By Firedemon86

Chapter 2

Memory of Perfection

(bows to all reviewers and my most helpful beta, Sara.) Thank you all, I love the response I've gotten on this story and can't wait to write more. To all those who answered my call for betas I Thank you very much, and can't wait to work with you all.

Ok standard Note: I don't own any part or any characters from InuYasha and Yu Yu Hakusho. I just borrow the characters to play with for a while, then give them back, only slightly mentally damaged… (swings broom at Youko to force him back in my closet) Not you! You have to stay and 'play' a little longer… hahahah ok on with the story…

Kurama talking to Youko. '…'

Youko talking to Kurama. '….'

     &nbs p;Kurama waited with almost bated breath for Youko's next word, already an hour had past since the beginning of this tale. Youko was specking slowly on purpose; his voice following like rich honey as if he was taking the time to prefect every sound of the words he spoke about her. This, in Youko's words, most perfect woman. Kurama couldn't even begin to imagine a woman like the one Youko was describing and he almost found himself mad at Youko for letting this creature slip away, but the utter sadness in Youko's tone kept him from voicing any anger. It was clear no one could ever be more angry and sad about letting this woman get away than Youko himself.

      'It was 500 years ago, about a year and half after Kuronue's death; I had fallen into a deep depression after the death of my friend and partner. I didn't pull any more jobs or even leave my den for months, but, then I realized that what I was doing was the exact opposite of what Kuronue would have wanted and so I started pulling jobs again. Only this time they were smaller ones, and I never had as much fun as I had before and so I found myself putting off these jobs and just wandering around for extended periods. I would walk all around Japan with no destination, no cause; like a mindless zombie.'

      Youko paused to sigh; it seemed to Kurama that just the memory of that time in this life was enough to cause Youko great pain. Kurama waited patently which gave Youko time to collect his thoughts, but took the chance to look over at the young woman they had saved. She was still sleeping peacefully, her chest raising and falling steadily and her bruises slowly clearing. It seemed whatever Yukina had done was working already. Kurama made a mental note to ask her later what all she had done to the girl; Kurama couldn't remember Yukina's powers ever working this fast before. He pushed the question to the back of his mind however when he heard Youko clear his proverbial throat.

      'It was on one of these wanderings that I… met her… ok maybe meet isn't exactly the right word….'

      Kurama could hear the hesitation in Youko's voice and with his pausing Kurama was getting a very good image of what happened. He had to resist the urge to rub his temples as he asked the question he was almost sure he already knew the answer to.

      'Tell me you didn't try to kill her.' 

      'Well… there is a very understandable story behind it and ok so try killing her once… I was walking in the forest and I heard a distress call of a kitsune kit, I ran to its aid as would any self-respecting kitsune, and I saw the child running from a boar demon. And then out of the wood stepped a priestess and with one shot she killed the boar. I…”

      'Wait! Wait… this woman, this most perfect woman. Is a priestess? You fell for a priestess. Youko did you have death wish or what?!'

      Kurama voice raged loudly through their head, as his mind tried to wrap around the fact this most perfect women was a priestess, a demon's sworn enemy. He could hear Youko sigh as he waited for Kurama's shock and disbelief to settle, after a few moments it did and Youko continued his story.

      'Yes, I attacked her, it wasn't very hard… her attention had been on the kit, I had thought so she could kill it. I jumped from my hiding spot and summoned a grass blade (Kurama uses a sword made from a plant in the manga, so I'm not creating or making this part up.) and charged her, she turned just in time to block me with her bow, which was destroyed in the process. She backed away from me, wide eyed as if she had never expected another kitsune to come and attack her. I was about to strike her down when the kit jumped into her arms and throw some foxfire at me, to get me to back away. The kit was hugging her like he would his own mother, and glaring at me the way any kit would to an intruding male. 

      I didn't understand, my mind was racing trying to think of why this young kit would defend a priestess. Then she spoke, a voice that would have sirens jealous but at the same time it was challenging me. She said that if I wanted the jewel I would have to fight for it, but that if I hurt her kit she'd make sure I paid even if it meant her life. So by this small priestess, I was rendered speechless. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine a human female willing to fight and die for a kitsune child. After recovering I dropped my weapon.'

      Youko paused, remembering that scene in vivid detail.

(Flashback)

      The forest around them was the brightest of emerald greens, a glow with late spring life, but this green made the three figures in the center of the clearing stand out all the more, one a black haired women with her head high, back straight and proud. In her arms a small child with bright as fire red hair on both his head and fuzzy tail, his eyes that were glaring at the third figure the same color as the forest around them. While the third figure stood out the most with his silver/white hair, outfit and tail, standing out in the green as if one last pile of snow was defying the world around it, his golden eyes wider the normal and staring at the other two.

  An onlooker would be able to feel the tension in the air as the woman in odd white and green clothes stared down the white figure, her eyes daring him to make the wrong move. Then the figure in white moved his arm back away from those before him dismissing his weapon, while his eyes moved up and down the women a seemly out-of-place bored look taking over his face. His voice rich and almost dripping into one's ear like warm honey, his eyes distant yet not unwelcoming, never leaving the woman to whom he spoke.

      “Human woman… nay, priestess…why do you protect a demon child?”

      Kagome's eyes widened considerably as she now saw this silver kitsune in a new light her voice almost resounding with shock and uncertainty.

      “You were trying to protect Shippo, not kill me for the jewel…”

His voice sharp and quick in reply like she was an idiot for even asking.

      “Of course my intent was protecting one of my own race. And as for this jewel, whatever it may be, I have no interest. I've mountains of jewels stashed away so whatever trinket a human may carry really doesn't matter to me.”

      Then once again -in the span of 15 minutes no less- she surprised Youko again; laughing almost in his face, and he had to wonder if maybe this woman weren't insane. After getting her laughter under control she smiled at him, which was something Youko wasn't use to; a human smiling; a beautiful smile…at him. Youko blinked as she bowed at the waist to him and proudly gave her name and that of her adopted child.

      “My name is Kagome, this is Shippo. We are happy to meet a kitsune like you. You must be very strong.”

      Now while Youko didn't understand the comment about being strong--he knew he was--and that being known Youko simply filed the comment with all other compliments he'd received and let his head get a little bigger. Smiling an all too smug smile, Youko nodded and answered.

      “Yes I am strong. Very…how very smart of you to notice. I am the great kitsune thief Youko Kurama, a pleasure to meet such a kind human.”

(End Flashback)

      Youko's smile could be heard in his voice as her continued the telling of the story to Kurama.

      'After that meeting I found myself following her and her kit. I told myself it was to ensure the safety of the kit and make sure she wasn't lying, but now I know that's a lie. I wanted to know more about Kagome. I followed her for days; watching how her and her group acted.'

      'Her group?' Kurama asked. Not fully understanding what Youko meant by group. Five hundred years ago Kurama could see a village girl, but why would a priestess be traveling in a group?

      'Yes she was part of a mismatched group: A monk, a demon slayer, a neko demon, the kit, and a hanyou. They were journeying to destroy an evil hanyou named Naraku. He was a very dark and evil sort, would make Toguro seem like a warm fuzzy kitten. He used every method imaginable to try and destroy this group, in particular Kagome; it seems his hate for was immense. But, I was just a watcher and stayed out of it, telling myself I'd only get involved to save the kit, until one day. Naraku had come with his servants and two of them had separated Kagome from her group. When they had begun to drain her soul from her body, I acted with out thought and saved her.'

(Flashback)

      Kagura and Kanna step closer to Kagome and as her soul is leaving her body, Kagome lets a gasp fall from her lips as her legs grow weak beneath her and she drops to the ground. Kagura's face twists into a sick smirk as she raises her arm, prepared to deliver the deathblow once Kagome's soul has completely left. Youko races through the tree to were he saw Kagome being blown to and his eyes widen on the sight before him. Before clear thought can get in the way, Youko has left the trees to move towards Kagome.

      Kagura turns to strike at him with her wind blades, but Youko's mind is on saving Kagome. His hand moves through his hair to bring out a seed which leaves his hand just as quickly, thrown at the soul-sucking mirror. Kagura's attack moves free of her fan as her cackles ring out in the air. No time for another plant or trick, Youko falls back on old skills. He takes the hit but protects the most vital parts with his own body. Youko falls in a bloody heap but looks up in time to see the seed making contact with the mirror.

      Vines wrap around the mirror, thorns grow from those vines, and to Youko's relief the sound of breaking glass fills the clearing; leaving in its wake an ungodly shocked silence. In the silence and feeling the pain of his wounds, Youko lays his head down on the cold ground and watches in almost a curious way as his deep ruby red blood flows out, mixing with the once lush jade green grass.

      Kagura's screeching voice can be heard for miles as she curses the kitsune and moves closer to kill the 'bothersome beast'. Now it was Kagome who saved Youko as a purified arrow zips inches from Kagura's face. Turning hate filled eyes on the girl who was already notching another arrow, Kagura summoned a feather and she and Kanna fled. Once sure they were gone, Kagome moved towards Youko's side.

      However, she jumps when to her surprise, as she had tried checking his injuries a growl rose from the kitsune warning her away.

“Please let me help you. You helped me” She said, her voice almost pleading with him to listen and let her help. Youko tried to move to sit up but found blood loss to be a hard thing to overcome. His voice weak and almost drained of life, he spoke to her.

“Fine… but don't expect a thank you…”

(End Flashback)

      'She saved my life and took care of me. When the rest of her group came she insisted they find a place to stay so she could tend to me properly. And no matter how cruel I was to her; not speaking to her or just giving her harsh orders, she still smiled and helped me in anyway she could. In the span of two days, I was healed and she was sitting near me tending the food for the next meal, and I couldn't stop myself from asking.

      I asked why she saved me, why save someone she didn't know? She answered that I had helped her. I pointed out that she could have run away and left me; I was a demon after all…her enemy. She smiled and said that the only demons she saw as enemies were the ones who tried hurting humans or her friends.

      I couldn't wrap my head around her; she was contradicting everything that made the defined lines between human and demon. Even more so the lines between priestess and demon. And all the while she broke rules and lines and boundaries…she did so with a smile on her face as if it was the most natural thing to do.'

      Youko paused thinking back on the time, and Kurama was so lost in thought he hardly noticed. Even Kurama couldn't imagine someone like Youko had described; she soundly like a angel sent to bring demons and humans together. Moreover, even though Kurama knew Youko spoke truth and that he really had met such a girl, he almost couldn't believe one such as her had ever walked this earth.

      'From that day on I became addicted to trying to understand this little human named Kagome and so I continued on with the group. I laughed with them, I smiled with them, I played with the kit and watched everything Kagome did… Well everything until she caught be peeping on her during bath time. I had lost my parents early and never really understood what a family was, but that group showed me what a family was and to this day I'll never forget that feeling. I loved that feeling. About a month later was when I heard of a new job, and since I was feeling full of energy and life for the first time in over a year, I decided to go after it. I promised them I'd be back that I just had to take care of something… How very foolish I was. During the week I was gone, they were attacked by Naraku and even though they defeated them Kagome had been the cost of it.'

      Youko was quiet for a long moment, and Kurama could feel the sadness rolling off him. However, Kurama had to know the end of the story. Therefore, he asked the hard question.

 'Youko… How did you learn of her death?'

      ' … The kit, Shippo… I followed the group's scent and found him crying on an old dry well, he told me what had happened… So, I took Shippo in as my student and constant companion. I taught him right up until I was 'killed' but if I know him he's still hanging out our den and protecting our treasures. When we went to Makai I wanted to go see him, but I didn't want Yomi knowing of him and using him against us. Because of the torment though, I'm sure he knows I live and is most likely waiting for me to come back to the den and tell him what happened. As soon as we have a chance go fetch him and bring him back here so he can be close to us, I would very much like that.'

      Kurama and Youko were both silent for a long time thinking back on all that had just been said, and Kurama looked over at the quickly healing girl -he once again made a mental note to ask Yukina what she did- and suddenly he wanted nothing more then to keep her like some kind of puppy. Kurama's resolve was set; he'd find a way to get around the rules just this once, and then they'd go back to Makai and get Shippo.