Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mating ❯ Back to School? ( Chapter 22 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

"The Mating"

Disclaimer: Didn't own it then, don't own it now.

AN: Morwen Re- Thanks for the lollipop and the cookies, by the way, my favorite flavor of ice cream is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. This one's for you. Thanks to all who reviewed, I'm very, very glad you like it. I'm suffering a bit with writers block and my schedule at work changed, so it's throwing my writing schedule off as well. Please bear with me.

Chapter 22- Back to School?

Kurama and Keiko made sure to get ready earlier than they would normally, so as to get over to the Kuwabara residence with the uniform that Touya had requested. Fortunately the school they went to now had the boys wearing black, which even Yusuke would wear. Keiko's uniform looked like a modified version of her middle school one, just a little shorter. Keiko had to use some of her new abilities in illusion to hide her eyes.

Kurama couldn't fault her when it came to training her abilities. She had always been athletic and quick minded, but the kitsune in her seemed to accentuate that. He didn't know what exactly would happen today. He knew there was a possibility that Keiko would again be mobbed by his ever present fan club. He was really hoping that they would just disperse.

The two quickly arrived at the Kuwabara residence, where Yukina answered the door, already dressed. "Greeetings. Touya has been waiting for you."

Keiko went off with Yukina, talking about what school was like while Kurama went up and saw the two guys. "Touya, here's the uniform that you requested."

He took it and raised an eyebrow. "Black?"

"It's better than my last school, where I had to wear kind of a fushia color." Kurama simply said by way of apology.

Touya openly shuddered, "I see your point." He quickly put on the uniform.

"Dang, Touya, maybe the girls will all go after you and leave Kurama alone!" Kuwabara exclaimed, seeing the affect that wearing black had on the shinobi.

"Just one small thing left. I think we can even explain away your bangs, but not your pupils, or should I say lack there of." Kurama used his own powers of illusion to cover up Touya's lack of pupils. "Your ice-blue eyes, I'm leaving. Silver eyes is not that common, but we can explain that by contacts."

"Thank you, Kurama." Touya said with a small bow.

"You don't need to bow to me, Touya."

"I really do need to break my habits, don't I?"

"It might be handy." Kuwabara replied. "Come on, I know Kurama and Keiko don't want to be late for classes and we still need to meet Urameshi and Botan."

Keiko and Yukina were sitting on the sofa in the living room, Keiko having taken off her book bag for the break. For some reason, though, it didn't seem as heavy as it had in the past.

Kurama offered his arm to Keiko, even as Kuwabara offered his own arm to Yukina. Touya just followed the two who knew the route. They met up with Botan and Yusuke about a block away from his house, heading in their direction.

Yusuke just looked at Touya, "Damn, you're going to be mobbed!"

Kurama just laughed. "That's almost exactly what Kuwabara said." As the group started for the school.

Yusuke just sighed. "No drama this time, okay?"

Keiko shook her head, "Yusuke, we've never been what one might call inconspicuous."

"I didn't mean that." Yusuke protested, then went on, "I meant no kidnappings this time, even if they were done in good faith."

"Agreed." Kurama said fervently.

"Yeah, that really sucked." Kuwabara said.

"Keiko's wounding was rather serious, though." Yukina said quietly.

Touya just looked shocked, "When was this?"

"A week ago. It was an ambush by bandits. We're going to have to do something rather permanent to the bandit issue when we're all in the Makai." Yusuke said.

They arrived at the entry to the school, a bit earlier than normal, but there were still a few devotees of "Shuuichi's" fan club. Seen next to the object of their infatuation, though, was still standing there as she had been last week, Keiko. On his other side, however, they were trying to figure out whether to drop over dead, or to rush over.

Finally, one girl came forward slowly and tentatively asked, "Excuse me, Shuuichi?"

Kurama was mildly surprised about the tone that she took addressing him, "Yes?"

"Can you please introduce me to your friend?"

"Moya, meet Touya. Touya, this is Moya. She's in my class." Telepathically, he sent, ~She's also the least offesive of my extensive fan club.~

"Pleased to meet you, Touya." She curtsied.

Touya gave her a small bow. "Likewise." He looked at her. She had rather plain facial features, but her complexion was flawless. There was just the barest hint of makeup, unlike some of the girls who seemed to be hovering just out of distance. Her body was not large, but not overly petite, either. What really fascinated him, was her smile when she heard his reply. It lit up her whole face. Her eyes could have been called blue, but the lights in her eyes brought highlights out of silver within her gaze. Her hair was a shining pale blond color and it was cut in a rather short style that framed her face. He couldn't help but let an unfamiliar smile cross his face as well.

"If you don't think it forward of me, are you transfering to this school? Or how long will you be here?" Moya asked.

"I'm not sure yet. I'm staying with a friend of my cousin for a while." ~Do I call you Shuuichi, or Kurama?~

~Either, they're used to it.~

"Who's your cousin?"

"Kurama."

"That must explain it! Well, I should let you get registered for classes! I hope we have some together." Moya went off by herself, sitting under a tree to read a book.

"She's a polite girl."

"Very intelligent, too. I based your records on mine, by the way. The school should have full records on all three of you. I created them last night and hacked into the school computer. Yukina, I ensured that you would be with Kuwabara, I'm sorry if I insulted your intelligence there."

"Kurama-san, do not worry about it. I am well aware that I am ignorant of many things here in the Ningenkai. I am not going to try to keep up with my classes terribly much."

"Thank you." He turned to Botan, "I ensured that you would have a combonation of classes with Keiko, Yusuke and Kuwabara, just to make it more natural looking. Touya, considering your intelligence, I based your grades on mine, so you should have most of your classes with me. No one should have any classes alone at all. We should be able to tag team any danger that appears. Come, we need to actually get you three registered." They all went into the office. Kurama had notes from their 'parents' explaining their absence, which, while a highly unusual reason, was indeed an acceptable reason.

"A betrothal ceremony?" The receptionist asked.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Kuwabara asked back.

"Just unusual is all. Who is engaged?" She nearly face-faulted when Yusuke and Kurama both pointed at Kuwabara. She slowly closed her mouth and then asked, "Who did you get engaged to?"

"Me." Yukina said.

The clerk had to lean over the counter as it was built at chest height for most of the students at just over 5 feet. She came around the counter, looking at the aqua colored hair and beaming face. "And you are?"

"This is Yukina Jaganshi. It should be in your computer banks. Her previous school said that they would send the records." Kurama explained. "This is her cousin, Botan Jaganshi. Her brother refused to let her come down without some sort of escourt."

"I assume that her records should be in here, too?" The clerk went back to her computer, quickly looking up the information. "Everything seems in order. Who is the young man?"

Touya quickly stepped in, "I am Touya Minamino, Shuuichi's cousin. I came to stay with him when some family problems came up."

"I am sorry to hear that, Minamino-kun. I hope you will find this school as pleasent as your last one." She quickly looked up his records as well. "Maybe Shuuichi will have some competition besides Yu Kaito." She looked up the types of grades that all three had gotten and quickly placed them. She handed Touya a schedule. "You can just follow your cousin through the day, it might cause a little confusion amoung the teachers, but it's actually rather challenging for your brain." She handed Yukina a schedule. "Fortunately, you will be able to follow your betrothed through the day. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, we're all here to help you learn." She looked at Botan. "And as for you, Jaganshi-chan, start out the day with our other rising star here," She looked indicated Keiko, "But I suggest that you compare your schedules with all three of them," She motioned at the younger portion of the group, "You have classes at some point with all of them. Now, I see a note in Yukina-chan's file, stating that she cannot participate in gym class. It has a doctor's note mentioned. Can you bring in that note, so we have it on file?"

Kurama handed her the note out of sight of the clerk.

Yukina passed it on to the clerk. "Do you mean this?"

The woman took the note and quickly read it. "Yes, this is what we required. Thank you. You may now head on to your classes, now. You still have ten minutes before class begins. Your lockers would be," She quickly punched it into the computer and gave them slips of paper with a number and then a series of three numbers separated by dashes. "These Your friends will be able to show you where they are and how to open them."

"Thank you very much." Yukina said with a bow.

The group left the office. After the door was closed, Yusuke turned to Kurama. "That was sweet! How did you do that?"

Kurama just smiled. "I never reveal my secrets."

Keiko just said, "He was up half the night at the computer, making sure everything would run smoothly this morning."

"Yeah, well, I appreciate it on behalf of our friends," Kuwabara leaned down and said quietly, "And my mate. Thanks."

Kurama smiled, even as Keiko hugged his arm. "You're welcome. Does anyone else have some spare pens, pencils and notebooks in their lockers?"

"Don't look at me, though I think I have a few unused pens and pencils." Yusuke said.

Keiko added, "I have some spare notebooks. Not enough to completely go around, though."

"I have some extras, I think we'll be okay, though we may have to pick up a few things tonight." Kurama told her.

"I've got some extras, as well." Kuwabara added.

They pooled their supplies and finally came up with a pen and pencil for each, as well as two notebooks each.

"That'll have to do until we can pick up a few more notebooks, as well as pens and pencils." Kurama said, just as the bell rang to start getting to class. "Botan, your first class is with Keiko. Either of you have any questions, ask me. The teacher's worthless, as Keiko can testify to. Yukina, any tutoring you need should be able to be handled by Keiko or myself, possibly even Kuwabara. Touya, it goes without saying, if you have any questions, you'll have to ask either myself or the teacher."

The group separated. Yusuke, Kuwabara and Yukina split off, heading to their classroom. Kurama and Touya walked Keiko and Botan to their classroom before moving on to their own classroom. "I'll warn you now, Touya, being in my classes, you will be seeing a lot of Moya. But truth to tell, I think she was only in the fan club because her friends were. She's actually a very pleasent girl. It goes without saying that you cannot act as if we were in the Makai."

"I know. I have been here undercover before." Touya replied in a cold tone.

"I apologize for stating it, then."

"Don't worry about it, Kurama. I didn't expect you to know about that. How else do you think that I learned about the outside world?"

Kurama only nodded. He entered the classroom with Touya following him. "Excuse us, Sensei, my cousin needed his schedule from the office."

"Of course." The teacher replied, holding his hand out for the schedule. Looking it over, he handed it back. "Welcome to my class, Minamino-kun." He glanced over his classroom. "You may sit next to Takanaka-chan." He pointed at the empty desk next to Moya.

Touya nodded and took his seat after taking a textbook from the teacher. He sat down and prepared to be bored. He was pleasently surprised when he was actually kept interested and agreed with the clerk, his brain was being challenged a bit.

Botan fit in just fine with Keiko's pre-calculus class, though she agreed with Kurama and Keiko's assessment, the teacher in this one was worthless.

Kuwabara and Yusuke had an interesting time, as they also shared a class with Kuwabara's old cronies. These three actually got there with a few minutes to spare, so had a bit of conversation with the three.

"Hey, Kuwabara! Where have you been?" Okubo asked.

"Sorry, guys. I had some business to attend to." Kuwabara answered, blushing.

"What kind of business takes a week?" Miyamoto, the tallest amoung them who was a brunette, asked.

Yusuke grinned. "The big guy here got engaged!"

They all looked astonished as Kuwabara told him, "You could at least have let me tell it, Urameshi!"

"But who are you engaged to!" His three friends asked him at once.

Yukina bowed, "I am his fiance. Pleased to meet you."

"But who are you?" Komata, the third of Kuwabara's friends asked.

"I am Yukina Jaganshi."

"Remember the girl he had a crush on back in junior high?" The three nodded. "Well, he finally got the nerve to ask her brother if he could marry her."

"Hey, it's not my fault if I'm not Hiei's favorite person!"

"Yusuke-san, it was ultimately my choice, though." Yukina broke in. "I chose Kazuma to marry."

"I know, Yukina, but still, Hiei is the elder and with as old fashioned as you and Kuwabara here are, Hiei influences things quite a bit." Yusuke said. "Sensei's here. Kuwabara, it's up to you to explain the situation to him."

"Yeah, I know." Kuwabara went up to the teacher and quietly explained the situation.

The teacher's eyes widened and she said, "I see. Yukina Jaganshi-chan, may I see your schedule?"

Yukina colored and went up to the teacher. "Here you go, Sensei."

"Thank you." She quickly looked over the schedule. "Very well, you may take the empty seat on the other side of Kuwabara-kun. Class, this is Kuwabara-kun's fiance, her name is Yukina Jaganshi and will be joining us until the end of the school year. Please make her feel welcome."

Yukina gave a small bow to the class, "I'm very pleased to meet you all."

The class was stunned by the announcement, but gave her friendly smiles, which Yukina returned.

Yukina took the book from the teacher and quickly took her seat next to her mate. She glanced out the window, only to catch a glimpse of Hiei as he flitted by. She touched the bluebird pendant, still happy from finding her brother and having him accept her chosen mate. She opened the book to the page indicated by the teacher, being occupied by the subject that the teacher taught.

After first period, Keiko and Botan met up with Yusuke, Kuwabara and Yukina. Being study hall, they sat back and discussed what happened in their earlier class. They were approched by a few of the other students, one of which was Moya.

"Keiko, I wanted to apologize at how some of my friends treated you last week. It really was uncalled for." Moya told Keiko.

"What," Yusuke asked, "You're not a member of Kurama's fan club?"

She shook her head. "No, my best friend is, though. Which is why I usually hang out with them. Or should I say my former best friend. She was one of the girls saying horrid things to Keiko. I saw you two rescue her from that crowd."

"Thanks for the apology." Keiko replied, "Even if it is on behalf of another."

"Why do you all call him Kurama?" Moya asked.

Yusuke just asked, "Did you know that Kurama's stepbrother is also named Shuuichi?"

"Oh. Nickname necessary for home, eh?" She asked.

Keiko nodded fervently. "He even prefers Kurama in private."

"I actually had a question, since you guys seem to be friends of Shuu-I mean Kurama."

"Shoot. Just be aware," Yusuke said, "He's taken. Keiko, why don't you show her?"

Keiko glared, and fervently hoped he meant the ring, showed her the 'engagement' ring.

"It's beautiful!" She exclaimed, "But that's not what I wanted to ask. His cousin, Touya, how long is he supposed to be in town?"

Everyone looked at Keiko, "I'm not sure entirely. I know for a fact that he'll be here through the school year, though. Why?"

Moya blushed. "I don't know what it is about him, but . . ."

Yusuke smiled at her, "You like him, don't you? Well, Hell, Touya's been alone for as long as I can remember."

"Always?" Moya asked.

They all nodded. Yusuke added, "Well, he does have his best friend, Jin, but that's it."

Botan broke in, "I hate to break up this fascinating relationship conversation, but Keiko, I didn't understand the teacher at all!"

Keiko blushed, "What do you think started this whole mess?"

Botan, Yusuke and Kuwabara just asked, "Homework?!?"

Keiko nodded, blushing furiously.

"Is that how you got engaged to Shuuichi?" Moya asked, "Help over homework?"

Keiko just asked, "Well, who else was I supposed to get help from to understand what he was talking about? Yusuke and Kuwabara would have been no help at all and Kurama is in calculus, which means that he had to take, and pass, this class."

Yukina was the only one around the table that didn't look incredulous. "Why are you finding this so hard to understand? These two have cared for each other for quite a while. It was obvious to me during the Tournament, at least Keiko's feelings for Kurama."

"Yeah, Kurama's hard to read." Kuwabara added.

Keiko said, "I don't know what's so hard to understand about him. He's getting easier for me."

"Keiko," Yusuke said quietly, "You and Hiei both have advantages that the rest of us don't have. We end up playing guessing games trying to figure out what's going on in his head."

Moya could tell they were skirting around talking about something around her. "Does this have anything to do with the way Keiko grabbed her neck last week, yelling Kurama's name?" She looked around the table. Botan and Yukina both looked clueless, but Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko all looked more than a little guilty. "Okay, folks, I can tell something's going on. Nothing's been the same in a week, ever since Keiko came walzing through the front doors of the school on Kurama's, as you all call him, arm. The four of you then disappear and reappear almost doubled in numbers. Kuwabara got engaged, which is a miracle in itself, no offense, Yukina-chan. I would like to know what's going on."

Kuwabara just looked at her and quietly asked, "You're psychic, aren't you?"

Moya snorted, but nodded. "I could feel the shift when Keiko and Kurama walked in together. It shifted again when the seven of you walked in this morning."

Yusuke looked askance at Moya, "You don't know a crone by the name of Genkai, do you?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

Botan asked, "Did you used to live in Mushiyori City?"

Moya shuddered, "No, but I visited it once a couple of years ago. The place gave me the creeps."

"Were you there for the light flaring from the hole?" Keiko asked, being the only one in the group that had seen that portion of the fight.

"No, but a lot of locals were talking about it afterwards. I did see the hole. Seriously nasty vibes coming out of that."

"Okay, so you weren't there for that drama." Yusuke summarized. "We'll talk at lunch. We meet by the tree over there." He pointed out the window. "Whoa, Keiko, you'd better let Kurama know he has to reign in his abilities a little more. Touya's fitting in better than he is."

"I'll let him know." Keiko closed her eyes. ~Kurama?~

Still watching Kurama, Yusuke couldn't even tell that he was being communicated with.

~What is it, my mate?~

Keiko couldn't stop the warm thrill that passed through her when she heard the word mate. ~Yusuke sends a warning. It seems you're showing off a bit, or at least doing something improbable for a human.~

~I'll tone it down, Keiko. Sorry about that.~

~Don't worry about it, my mate.~ Keiko sent back, sending him a telepathic hug. She felt his lips ghost over hers in response, then broke off the contact.

"Thanks, Keiko." Yusuke said, as he watched, Kurama visibly tone his movements down, "We need to keep low profile here."

"He apologizes as well." Keiko replied.

"Now, I'm definately joining you guys for lunch." Moya said, "However now I have to get back to studying. I have a test in two periods."

"Good luck." Botan told her.

"Thanks." Moya replied before going back to her books.

The group fell into a discussion about lunch, after Keiko promised that she'd help Botan with the pre-calc later. The rest of the mornng went rather smoothly, though the rumors surrounding Keiko, 'Shuuichi', Kuwabara and Yukina were innumerable. Word spread like wildfire about Kuwabara's engagement and with that coming on the heels of Kurama and Keiko's was making all the students wonder.

Lunch time came and the seven all met by the tree that Yusuke had pointed out, bringing their lunches outside. Keiko immediately melted next to Kurama. After being in constant contact a week, she didn't realize just how much stress it was to be separated for even a morning.

Kurama put an arm around her, "How are you holding up?"

Keiko replied, not opening her eyes just yet, just breathing in the rose scent that always clung to her mate. "I'm dealing with it. It's just a little harder than I thought."

Kurama kissed her on the forehead, "I know. We are halfway there. After school, we need to borrow the gymnastics equipment, so that I can see just how far your skills have progressed."

"Okay."

The rest watched the two while this was going on and when Keiko opened her eyes and actually looked more interested in food than her mate, Yusuke began, "Kurama, we might have a wrinkle."

"How big of a wrinkle?" Kurama asked, knowing that coming from Yusuke, this could be something major, or some small detail.

"This one comes with a name, Moya Takanaka." Yusuke replied.

Botan added, "Apparently the girl's psychic. Not quite on par with Shizuru, but she can sense auras."

Touya just commented, "This should be interesting. Speaking of Moya, here she comes."

"Yeah, Urameshi invited her to join us for lunch, I think he was hoping to get Kurama's opinion of her." Kuwabara explained.

"She seemed nice to me, just ignorant of what she was getting into." Yukina added.

"Yukina," Yusuke replied, "That just sounded wrong coming from you. No offense, but you always come off so innocent of what's going on around you."

She looked him in the eye, "I see the better side of people, Yusuke. Just because I do that does not mean that I don't know about the other side of things. Tarukane's stronghold stripped that of me. Koorime society is very reserved, as well, which is why I show so little sometimes."

"I apologize for underestimating you, Yukina. I'm just glad that this baka makes you happy." Yusuke said, poking a thumb in Kuwabara's direction.

She leaned into Kuwabara's side. "Very much so, thank you." Was the reply she gave.

"This is a rather sweet scene." Moya said, looking around at Keiko, still snuggled against Kurama's side and Yukina, who was also snuggled against her mate. "It's obvious none of these were an arranged marriage."

"Nah," Yusuke agreed, "Neither one of these two would have accepted an arranged marriage."

Kurama broke in, "I'm sorry to say, Yusuke, if this had not have occured, my stepfather was planning an arranged marriage for me."

Yusuke looked shocked, "Say what?!? Kurama, you couldn't get out of it?"

"Not without blowing my cover."

Yusuke deflated, "I understand. Speaking of cover can you get Hiei here? I think we need his help for a few minutes, if he can pry himself away from Shizuru for a moment."

"Detective, calm yourself." Came Hiei's voice from within the tree.

Yusuke jumped, "Will you stop doing that?"

Hiei came down from the tree. "Did you honestly believe that I would let my sister go to this Ningen institution without checking up on her?"

Yukina beamed, "Oniisan!"

Hiei came down from the tree and sat next to her. "How are you doing, Yukina?"

"Well. Kurama ensured that my classes wouldn't be too challenging. The students are all very nice to me." Yukina replied.

"I am glad to hear it." Hiei told her.

Yusuke broke into their conversation. "Hello! We do have a small problem here."

"Yusuke, she is not a problem. She is actually a potential ally." Hiei said, having already done a scan while still in the tree.

"Then she's an ordinary student."

"With slightly less psychic abilities than my Shizuru." Hiei replied. "Speaking of whom, however, she gets off for lunch herself in the next few minutes. I've promised to meet with her. Keiko, you are not the only one who is finding separation hard to bear after constant contact with your mate for a week. We are all finding this to be a little hard."

Keiko gave Hiei a wry smile, "Thanks. It's just that you and Kurama always look so calm, even when I know that Kurama, at least, is not."

"Hn." Hiei said before he disappeared back into the tree, and the group knew that he would go to Shizuru from there.

Moya watched this communication in silence, just trying to fit peices with each other, but she was unsure of what she was getting. It was rather like an artwork done by Picasso at the moment.

Kuwabara just looked over at Moya, "I imagine you're even more confused now, huh?"

"Well, yes. Can anyone explain exactly what's going on, here?"

"My first instinct had been to trust you from the beginning." Kurama told her, "However, we needed Hiei's assessment before we could proceed."

"Moya," Yusuke began, "You said that there were some 'seriously nasty vibes' coming from the hole in Mushiyori City, do you sense anything like that now?"

Moya closed her eyes to better concentrate, "Well, kinda, but these aren't threatening. More in the nature of a protective feeling, but if threatened themselves, I wouldn't want to be their enemy. That's coming off of all of you. I know for a fact that Keiko didn't used to give off this feeling."

"No, I didn't." Keiko replied quietly.

Kurama tightened his arm around Keiko. "It's my fault."

Keiko gave him an exasperated look, "Kurama Minamino! Do not talk that way! I wanted to mate with you just as much as you wanted to mate with me, I don't want to hear any recrimations!"

Kurama had the grace to blush. "Sorry, Keiko."

"Mate, until you can address me without that, I'm at fault for the world's screw-ups attitude, I don't want to hear it."

Yusuke raised his brow at this, but saw that it was working. Kurama could work himself into quite a funk at times. Keiko had never allowed anyone to stay there for long.

"There is obviously quite a bit more going on here than I thought." Moya commented.

Yukina replied, "Yes, like any pair of new mates, they must work out their problems amoung themselves."

"Sounds like newlyweds."

Yusuke nodded. "That's exactly what they are. Mating amoung us doesn't exactly have the same meaning as it does amoung most. Mating is marriage."

"How can that be?" Moya asked carefully.

Touya said distantly, "It's because of what we are."

Moya sensed him more distantly now, as if he was afraid of being rejected. She turned to him specifically and asked, "Then what are you?"

Touya didn't want to reply. The pause got uncomfortably long and for a moment there Moya was afraid he wouldn't answer her, "We're youkai."

Moya blinked and breathed for a moment, she hadn't been quite expecting that, but she nodded slowly. "You guys sure don't look it."

"Well, some of us do have to hold that in." Yusuke replied. "But we're all humanoid, Fox boy over here is the only one who has the ears and the tail." He aimed his thumb at Kurama.

"Yusuke, please, this is not the time to be flippant." Kurama replied in a furious undertone.

Moya replied, "I always got the feeling you were more dangerous than you looked. It's kind of a relief that my instincts were right."

"Yes, well, I would appreciate it if you didn't spread this around the school. Goodness knows, I've already heard a number of foolish rumors this morning." Kurama commented.

"Of course not!" She replied. "My ex-best friend is the president of your little fan club. I think they're hoping to steal you back from your mate."

Kurama's eyes flashed gold, "That will never happen!" He tightened his arms around Keiko, who willingly stayed in his embrace.

Yusuke shook his head, "Bad plan. At this point, you not only have Kurama's instincts to deal with, you have Keiko's."

"Instincts?" Moya looked confused.

Yukina picked up the explanation. "As a youko, Kurama has very strong instincts to protect his mate and his clan. Threaten his mate and you have unleashed a dangerous being. You said you primarily sense protective feelings coming from us. Violence without direction is what you were probably feeling by that hole. I was not there, you would have to check with Shizuru to confirm that. If violence is unleashed with the urge to protect something or someone, it is ten times as powerful."

"And Kurama has more control than I do. I'm still aquiring these instincts. He has a lot more control than I do."

Touya just looked at the girl, "At the moment you are sitting amoung some of the most powerful beings there are."

"Is that why you're still standing?" Moya asked.

"Touya," Yusuke said, exasperated, "How many times do I have to tell you to drop the stupid formality already!"

"Sorry, my- Yusuke," Touya corrected himself at the last moment, "I'm trying to break the habit." He sat down next to Moya and reached for his own lunch.

"Is that all you brought?" She asked him, looking at his meager lunch.

"All that I require."

"Dang, you don't eat much do you?" Kuwabara asked.

Yukina ate everything she had brought, finding herself ravenous.

Keiko did as well, but for a totally different reason. Keiko knew that her body was changing into a youko. Most of the rest of the meal was spent in a comfortable silence.

Moya found herself comfortable. She didn't know why, everything she knew meant that she should have run off screaming, but somehow she felt like she belonged with this group. Normally she ate lunch alone, without trying to find anyone to eat with. Her best friend had always wanted to just drool over 'Shuuichi'. She herself was finding it more natural to call him Kurama. Towards the end of lunch, she asked, "So what is your real name?"

"Kurama." Was the reply.

Yusuke said, "Welcome to the inner circle, Moya."

Kurama just looked at Yusuke, "You really should say welcome to the clan, with two kitsunes present, it's more what we are."

Touya added, "Kurama's right. You are head of this group and two or more kitsunes in a group, they would call that a clan."

After Yukina nodded as well, Yusuke sighed. "Thus speak the born youkai. Very well. Moya, welcome to our clan."

"Thank you for accepting me." Moya replied.

To be continued . . .