Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Aoitsuki Yurai ❯ Dreams and Blankets ( Chapter 6 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: AvalonShikaro 
We fly to Kurama's dreamland where we learn something about his past that still seems to hurt him. He wakes up to find Shinzui caught in her own nightmare and somehow calms her, but a little guest is at the door. When the girl wakes up, she has trouble with her legs and blankets, plus Kurama must explain to her what happened in the park.
BTW: The Author's Notes at the end are kind of void now. I've decided how Kurama's name is revealed to Shinzui, but you can go ahead and choose one anyway if you want
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.29.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 232 | Status: Completed
We fly to Kurama's dreamland where we learn something about his past that still seems to hurt him. He wakes up to find Shinzui caught in her own nightmare and somehow calms her, but a little guest is at the door. When the girl wakes up, she has trouble with her legs and blankets, plus Kurama must explain to her what happened in the park.
BTW: The Author's Notes at the end are kind of void now. I've decided how Kurama's name is revealed to Shinzui, but you can go ahead and choose one anyway if you want
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.29.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.3K | Visits: 232 | Status: Completed
<Font face="verdana">Disclaimer: Here's the low down again. All the YYH characters and stuff from the YYH anime or manga belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. All the original characters and stuff belong to me ^_^<Br>
<Br>
A/N: This one's gonna be a crazy chapter. Lotsa stuff going on. To answer reviewer christine. <Br>
-First off, thanks for the great review ^_^ I wasn't sure what Shiori did for a profession ^_^(), so I made one up, but thanks for telling me. I might change it, but for now I hope it's ok to leave it. There's only one reference to Shiori's job in this chapter. ^_^()<Br>
-The name Shinzui Ookami kind of just came out of nowhere. My process of making names is finding words or names that will have a meaning to the character, but also sound right together. <Br>
-The title Aoitsuki Yurai breaks down into three words. Aoi - blue, tsuki - moon, Yurai - destiny or fate. So it basically means Blue Moon Destiny. ^_^ Spent an entire afternoon trying to figure out a title that sounded right for the story. <Br>
- I got the baka kitsune thing from other fanfics I've read. Mostly the stuff by Hanyou Lothluial and Kaeru Soyokaze. <Br>
-I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed this story. ^_^ It makes me feel more confident in my writing and I tend to write more of a story if I have more confidence. <Br>
- OK! Long A/N's finished. When we left our characters, Shinzui had been attacked by a bat demon and it was discovered that she could use spirit energy. Now she's at Kurama's house sleeping in his room, leaving Kurama to sleep on the couch. What shall unfold during this chapter? Well, let's find out! ^_^ Enjoy!<Br>
<Br>
* * * * * * * * <Br>
<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; A silver fox demon trotted to the middle of a field full of tall grass and strange flowers. The fox suddenly took the form of a tall man with long, silver hair and a pair of silver fox ears were poking out of his hair. His golden eyes were settled on a figure's back not too far away from him and his silver fox tail twitched. A wind rustled the fabric of his white outfit of a sleeveless, long tunic and puffed pants with a sash tied around his waist. The figure in front of him was looking up at the bright full moon and dark sky dotted with stars above them. <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; The figure turned around to face the fox demon, long silver hair a shade darker than the fox's was blowing around a bit, but there was a pair of silver wolf ears were twitching slightly, listening for something. A female wolf demon stood before him, her silver tail swishing from side to side and a pair of amber colored eyes staring at him. She wore a silver outfit of a similar style and a silver-blue sash was tied around her waist. Her mouth curved into a mysterious smile as she folded her arms across her chest. Various scars were slightly visible on her skin in the moonlight. <Br>
"You're late, Yoko," she said in a melodic voice, "I've been waiting for over an hour." Her eyes had a mischievous glint in them.<Br>
"I would've been here sooner," replied the fox demon, smiling a bit, "But my gang wanted to finish the plan before we dispersed."<Br>
"Did Kuroune insist on doing the looting tonight?" asked the wolf demon.<Br>
"Yeah, but we convinced him to follow the plan," answered Yoko, chuckling.<Br>
"You know that I worry when you go looting," said the wolf demon, walking towards Yoko, she was about a head shorter than him, "I fear that you'll get caught one of these days. I don't want to lose you. You're all I have left." She caressed Yoko's cheek with her hand, her amber eyes softening as she smiled at him.<Br>
"Inu, I won't get caught," said Yoko, sighing, "Don't worry." He cupped her face in his hands, feeling her soft skin, and then running a hand through her silky hair. "I'm the best at what I do. Looting."<Br>
"Then if I've stolen stuff from you," said Inu, raising an eyebrow, "Does that make me better at what you do?"<Br>
"Perhaps," replied Yoko, smiling, "Maybe the both of us should go looting and see who can get more stuff." Both demons broke into storms of laughter and he watched Inu turn to look at the moon. "Is it telling you omens again?" He snaked his arms around her waist and hugged her to him.<Br>
"No, it's being a very sneaky moon," replied Inu, leaning against him and placing her hands over his, "The stars don't reveal anything either."<Br>
"You're the only demon I know who can read the stars and moon," said Yoko, turning the wolf demon around to look at her, "Does that come from the blood that your mother gave you?"<Br>
"Yes," answered Inu, looking down, "She used to tell me stories about what the stars would tell her." She circled her arms about the fox's torso and rested her head against his chest with a content sigh. "You're the only one who's ever found out about that blood and still accepted me." She raised her head to look into his eyes. "That's why I love you, Yoko Kurama."<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Inu raised herself up a bit, to press her lips against Yoko's in a gentle kiss and the two stayed like that as the wind blew around them. The image suddenly shattered and the pieces flew away in a whirlwind of color. A new set of images came up, showing a strange area with several ReiKai people surrounding Inu as Yoko watched from behind a tree. Two horned demons were holding Inu back as a woman stood before her, reading off a piece of paper.<Br>
"You stand accused of trying to tear open a portal to Ningenkai and Reikai," said the woman, "It is said that your methods would've destroyed both worlds as well as Makai. I hope you realize that this is a very serious crime and the punishment is death."<Br>
"I didn't do it!" exclaimed Inu, looking horrified, "Why would I want to do that?! I'm perfectly happy here!"<Br>
"That's not what the witness told us," said the woman, looking at the wolf demon, "He came forward and explained everything in such perfect detail that it we had to believe it."<Br>
"So Reikai is really run by idiots," said Inu, glaring at him, "Who accused me of such a horrible crime!"<Br>
The woman ignored her question and continued to read off the paper. "Your supposed attempt caused the death of many humans who were in the area where the portal almost opened. Not to mention the deaths of many demons and Reikai employees who tried to stop you."<Br>
"W... What?" said Inu, staring at him, her eyes oddly dim, "I was just doing a spell! I wasn't opening a portal to Ningenkai or Reikai!"<Br>
"None the less," said the woman, "You've been found guilty of the crime and are hereby sentenced to death"<Br>
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Inu, staring at the woman, "You've got to be kidding me!" She felt herself rise off the ground. "No! Wait!" A burst of energy blew the demons back from her and knocked over the woman.<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; There was a flash of metal as something hit Inu across and then down her back. With a yelp of pain, Inu collapsed into a heap as a metal object hit her in the center of the mark that had been made on her back. Her eyes were blank as she lay there in a pool of her own blood and Yoko, his eyes wide with horror, but over bright, silently crept away. He was soon running across the field they had met in and he stopped there, falling to his knees, panting. Yoko glared at the sky and let loose a yell full of rage and anguish.<Br>
<Br>
* * * * * * * <Br>
<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama woke up with a start and sat bolt upright when he heard a yelp coming from his room. Brushing his bangs away from his eyes he felt cold sweat on his forehead and it felt like he had run a long distance. He heard violent rustling and groaning coming from his room and curiosity made him investigate. Kurama gently pushed open the door and saw Shinzui tossing and turning, muttering words that were garbled, and saw sweat dripping down her forehead. <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Shinzui suddenly stopped tossing and turning, only to curl up as best she could, shaking under the covers. She was whimpering quietly and Kurama walked over to her, concerned at this sudden odd behavior. As Kurama knelt down to brush her bangs out of her face, he felt a strange sensation pass between them. Shinzui's hand searched for his and gripped it tightly as she continued to go through a nightmare. She slowly stopped shaking and breathed hard as if she had just run several miles, cold sweat dripping down her forehead. <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama felt her hand release the grip and go limp as her dreams became peaceful. He stood up and began to leave, but a familiar scent caught his attention and Shinzui's blue and white rose caught his eye. He noticed that his mother had put it in a vase of water, but it was open instead of closed and it seemed to feed off the moonlight. He went to touch the petals when Shinzui let out a growl, which startled Kurama and he retreated back to the couch to hear a scratching on the door. <Br>
"What could that be?" he whispered to himself, walking to the door and opening it to see Kouken sitting there, staring up at him, "Oh... It's you. Are you looking for Shinzui? She's in here." Kouken wagged his tail at Kurama. "My mother won't mind you, come in, she's in my room." He stepped to the side, allowing Kouken to trot in and head straight to his room. Kurama watched as Kouken lay down beside the bed and fall asleep. "Interesting dog." Yawning, Kurama returned to the couch, lay down, and fell into a now dreamless sleep.<BR>
<Br>
* * * * * * *<Br>
<BR>
&a mp;nbsp; The next day, Kurama returned home to find his mother getting ready to go out and a sleepy Kouken drinking some water out of a bowl. His mother turned to see him and smiled, patting the dog on the head.<Br>
"Sweet dog," said Shiori, smiling at her son, "I'm afraid your friend still hasn't woken up yet, but her wounds are healing very nicely and all the small cuts she had are already healed. I need to go to my shift at the hospital, so I expect you to take care of Shinzui if she wakes up. Please check her hand for me, I never got to check it." <Br>
"Yes, mother," said Kurama as his mother gave him a hug and a kiss before she left. When she did, Kurama looked at Kouken. "Well, your mistress seems to like sleeping." <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kouken barked and trotted back to where Shinzui was sleeping, curling up beside the bed. Kurama sat down with the first aid kit and unbandaged Shinzui's hand, which had healed a little bit. He cleaned it with a cloth, then applied some healing salve to the wounds, and wrapped it up with clean bandages. Shinzui muttered something that made Kurama stop what he was doing and stare at the girl.<Br>
"Reikai must be run by monkeys." The girl moved a bit and muttered something that was entirely different. "You will be thrown into a pool of Jello and then dropped into a vat of pudding. Oh, my mistake, it's a pool of jagged objects and a vat of acid. The message was smudged." Her eyes fluttered open, a dull, bleary blue, and she blinked several times before they returned to a bright blue color. "EH?! Where am I?!" She sat up so quickly that Kurama fell backwards in surprise, but pain shot through her back and with a yelp she fell out of the bed on top of Kurama. "OW! Dammit..."<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama propped himself on his elbows and stared at the girl still sitting on him, trying vainly to disentangle herself from the blanket. Her long hair was hanging down and it contrasted strangely with the green of his pjs, which looked a bit large on her. Shinzui was losing the battle against the blankets, finding herself more tangled in them than before, and she stared at Kurama with a child-like innocence and a helpless look in her eyes. With a sigh, he lifted her off of him and helped her unwind from the blankets.<Br>
"The blankets don't seem to want to untangle," said Kurama, working on the blankets as Shinzui sat there, "You might have to walk around with them on like a toga for the rest of your life."<Br>
"Maybe I should try standing up," said Shinzui, using the bed to get to her feet, "It might work." Unfortunately, her legs had apparently gone on strike and wouldn't keep her up. She had managed to get out of the blankets, but she toppled forwards when she let go of the bed. "NYA!" Hands grabbed her under the arms and she looked up at Kurama, blushing red in embarrassment, "Um... Thanks." She looked at the blankets. "Well, that worked. I guess." <Br>
"Yes, it did," said Kurama, picking her up and setting her on the bed, "But your legs don't have any strength to support you." He put the blankets over her and she shifted the pillow to lean back against it.<Br>
"Damn," muttered Shinzui, putting a hand to her head, "How long have I been asleep and what happened?" <Br>
"You've only been asleep for about a day," replied Kurama, "Do you not remember what happened in the park last night?"<Br>
"I remember my dad throwing me out of the house," said Shinzui, thinking as she rubbed her head, "But the rest is a blur." She sat straight up when she spotted her dog sitting near the bed. "Kouken!" The dog barked and leapt on to bed as Shinzui leaned back again, scratching his ears with a faint look of surprise on her face. "How did you get here?!" <Br>
"He went looking for you and ended up here," replied Kurama, dragging the chair over from his desk to sit down next to the bed.<Br>
"He doesn't like it if I disappear for some unknown reason," said Shinzui, smiling at Kouken as he licked her hand, "He's like a protective older brother." She giggled as Kouken barked and leapt into Kurama's lap, nearly knocking the red-head off his seat. "He likes you." Her eyes moved to look at Kurama. "Anyway, what happened last night in the park?"<Br>
"Um..." Kurama searched for words, but wasn't sure if he should tell her about the bat demon and the fact that she destroyed it with her own energy. He glanced at Shinzui, who was looking at him expectantly.<Br>
"Hmm," said Shinzui as Kurama stayed silent, closing her eyes with her brow furrowed in concentration, trying to remember, "I faintly remember a strange creature and silver light." She looked up at Kurama, her strange eyes fixed on his. "I know you were there. Please tell me what happened last night." Kurama stayed silent. "Shuichi, I want to know, even if it will cause pain."<Br>
Kurama took a deep breath and exhaled with a sigh, looking down at the girl in front of him and spoke. "Last night, you were attacked by a bat demon who was serving someone he called Master Koumori." He was trying hard not to look at Shinzui's eyes, which were fixed unblinkingly on him and their gaze made it very hard for Kurama to lie to her. "The silver light you remember was your own spirit energy when you released it. You used two different attacks and passed out from your wounds and the amount of energy you used." <Br>
"So, that's what makes the plants grow," muttered Shinzui, finally blinking her eyes, but when she saw the quizzical look on Kurama's face, she sighed and continued. "I might as well tell you that this isn't the first time I've done something weird like that." <i>It's not like I can keep this sort of thing quiet,</i> she thought, staring at her lap. "Ever since I was a little girl, I could make plants grow, bloom, or heal at my leisure. That's why I was isolated when I was little. I never had many friends if they found out about my abilities." She closed her eyes, smiling a bit. "The only person who thought it was a blessing..." Her hands clenched the fabric of the blankets and she went silent, opening her eyes to stare down at her lap.<Br>
Kurama saw that her eyes had become a deep crystal blue again, which apparently signified sadness or pain. "You should rest." He patted Kouken on the head and set him on the bed next to Shinzui. "My mother said that you won't heal any faster if you don't get rest."<Br>
Shinzui looked at him and smiled a bit. "Ok, I'll try to get more sleep." A small growl was heard from the bed, but the dog was curled up contently next to Shinzui. "Uh..." Her face turned red as Kurama covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. "I think I'm a bit hungry." She smiled sheepishly up at him, scratching the back of her head a bit. <Br>
"Stay in bed," said Kurama, standing up, "I'll go make something." <Br>
"Uh... No need to cook anything," said Shinzui quickly, looking embarrassed, "Microwaved soup or ramen would be just fine."<Br>
"No, I insist," said Kurama, smiling at the girl's flustered look, "My mother said to take care of you if you woke up, so I will." He hushed Shinzui when she opened her mouth to speak. "Now, lie back down while I go make some food." He chuckled as she lay back down, looking like a pouting child, but her attention returned to Kouken as Kurama left for the kitchen, thinking to himself, <i>She's quite a puzzle, but seems too innocent to be involved in things like demons.</i> He stopped when he heard Shinzui whispering something to her dog.<Br>
"Shuichi's a nice guy, don't you think, Kouken," whispered Shinzui, scratching the dog's ears, "I've never met anyone who would come near me after I use any sort of ability." Kouken barked. "Tenma and his gang don't count because they'd come after me even if I was some sort of demon." <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama went to the kitchen and worked on making a soup while the sounds of Kouken's barking and Shinzui's giggling drifted to his ears. About half an hour later, he was finished with the soup and poured some into a bowl. He set the bowl on a plate with some crackers, set the food on a tray, and took it in to his room. Shinzui looked at him, slowly sitting up as Kurama walked over to her and scooting back to lean against the pillow. Kouken leapt off the bed as Kurama set the tray on Shinzui's lap and sat down in the chair, pulling it closer to the bed.<Br>
Shinzui sniffed at the soup and smiled. "That smells good." She picked up the spoon and tasted the spoonful of soup. "Wow... This is REALLY good." She spooned some more into her mouth. "I've never tasted this kind of soup before! What's your secret?" She looked at Kurama as she started eating the crackers and the rest of the soup.<Br>
"An old family recipe," replied Kurama, thinking to himself, <i>Not to mention a few herbs to help you heal faster and sleep.</i> He smiled as Shinzui continued to compliment the soup and finished it fairly quickly, licking the last traces from her lips.<Br>
"Well, if you can cook more things like that," she said using a napkin to wipe her mouth, "You could open a restaurant." She put a hand over her mouth as she yawned and said. "I must be more tired than I thought." She closed her eyes, letting her head droop, and was asleep within a few minutes.<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama smiled at Shinzui, removing the tray from her lap, and got up to put it in the kitchen. When he came back, Shinzui had moved a bit and was now laying flat on the bed, but the blankets were strewn on the ground again. Chuckling quietly, Kurama picked the blankets up and pulled them over Shinzui. He gently brushed her shaggy bangs out of her face and walked out of the room to start on his homework.<Br>
<Br>
* * * * * * * * <Br>
<Br>
Wasn't that fun? Ok, I can't decide how I want Shinzui to find out that Shuichi's name is actually Kurama (Yeah, he still doesn't want her to know) ^_^() Time to ask the reviewers! They're smart and they'll be helpful! here are the choices.<Br>
A.) A demon reveals it during a battle.<Br>
B.) Kurama tells her himself.<Br>
C.) Someone in the group slips up and says it. <Br>
D.) Um... some other situation o.O()<Br>
Those are the choices.. Well, D is actually a free space ^_^() Anyway, I hope you liked that chapter. Please review.<Br>
<Br>
SNEAK PEEK!: <Br>
<Br>
** More batty trouble and another person appears!<Br>
<Br>
** Kouken demonstrates the meaning of the word chase.<Br>
<Br>
** A small bit of history info on Shinzui and Kouken<Br>
<Br>
Wondering what I mean? Find out in the next exciting chapter of Aoitsuki Yurai! ^_^<Br>
<Br>
<Br><!-- Start of Angelfire Ad Code Insertion -->
<script language="JavaScript" src="/sys/common_scripts.js"></script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
if(!displayTopAd()) document.write("<!" + "--");
//-->
</script>
<div align="center">
<IFRAME SRC="http://ln.doubleclick.net/adi/bottom.ln/af;h=misc;sz=728x90;!cate gory=adult;!category=sexualovertones;ord=1376224328338?" width=728 height=90 frameborder=0 border=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 vspace=0 scrolling=no></IFRAME>
<br />
</div>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
if(!displayTopAd()) document.write("-" + "->");
//-->
</script>
<!-- Start of Angelfire Ad Code Insertion -->
<script language="JavaScript" src="/sys/common_scripts.js"></script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
if(!displayAd()) document.write("<!" + "--");
//-->
</script>
<div id="FooterAd_3373" name="FooterAd_3373" style="position:absolute; visibility:hidden; left:0px; top:0px">
<table width="468" cellspadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td width="468" align="center"><IFRAME SRC="http://ln.doubleclick.net/adi/af.ln/memberembedded;dcopt=ist;h=mi sc;sz=468x60;!category=adult;!category=sexualovertones;!category=gaming;!ca tegory=tobacco;!category=adult;!category=sexualovertones;ord=1376224328338? " width=468 height=60 frameborder=0 border=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 vspace=0 scrolling=no></IFRAME></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
function showAd (adId) {
var adRef = gE(adId); var sHeight=gH(); var sWidth=gW();
if( sWidth > 468 ) sWidth= parseInt(sWidth/2) - 234; else sWidth= 0;
sX(adRef, sWidth); sY(adRef, sHeight); sE(adRef);
}
window.onload = function () {
showAd('FooterAd_3373');
setKeywordCookie();
buildExitHandler();
}
if(!displayAd()) document.write("-" + "->");
function setKeywordCookie() {
var expdate = new Date ();
expdate.setTime (expdate.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
var keyword = '(none)';
if( keyword == "(none)") {
keyword = '';
}
var reg = new RegExp("http://([\\w\\.\\-]*\\.)?(tripod|angelfire|lycos).com/");
if ( ! reg.test( document.referrer ) ){
SetCookie("Keyword", keyword, '', "/", ".angelfire.com");
}
}
function buildExitHandler () {
if (document.getElementsByTagName) {
var arrAnchor = document.getElementsByTagName('A');
for (i=0;i < arrAnchor.length;i++){
if (arrAnchor[i].getAttribute) {
if ( ! arrAnchor[i].onclick ) {
arrAnchor[i].onclick = function () { exitPage(this); };
}
}
}
}
}
function exitPage(a) {
var reg = new RegExp("^http://([\\w\\.\\-]*\\.)?(tripod|angelfire|lycos).com/") ;
if ( reg.test( a.href ) ){
return true;
}
var windowLocation = "/adm/redirect/www/cgi-bin/exit/exit_page";
var expdate = new Date ();
expdate.setTime (expdate.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
var visited = GetCookie("ExitPage");
var keyword = GetCookie("Keyword");
if ( ! keyword ) { keyword = ''; }
if ( ! visited ){
w = window.open('', "tr_exit", 'height=700,width=780,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes' +
'toolbar=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no' );
w.location = windowLocation + "?q=" + keyword;
SetCookie( "ExitPage", "viewed", expdate, "/", ".angelfire.com");
}
}
function SetCookie (name,value,expires,path,domain,secure){
document.cookie = name + "=" + escape (value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
}
function getCookieVal (offset){
var endstr = document.cookie.indexOf (";", offset);
if (endstr == -1)
endstr = document.cookie.length;
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, endstr));
}
function GetCookie (name){
var arg = name + "=";
var alen = arg.length;
var clen = document.cookie.length;
if( (document.cookie == null) || (document.cookie.length == null)){
return null;
}
var i = 0;
while (i < clen){
var j = i + alen;
if (document.cookie.substring(i, j) == arg)
return getCookieVal (j);
i = document.cookie.indexOf(" ", i) + 1;
if (i == 0) break;
}
return null;
}
//-->
</script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
// Cache-busting LUBID bug.
var ran = Math.round(Math.random() * 899999) + 100000;
var lubid_string = "<img src=\"http://hb.lycos.com/header?VID=6105&LHIG=1&ord=" + ran + "\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\">";
document.write(lubid_string);
//-->
</script>
<noscript><img src="http://hb.lycos.com/header?VID=6105&LHIG=1" height="1" width="1"></noscript>
<br>
<!-- End of Angelfire Ad Code Insertion -->
<Br>
A/N: This one's gonna be a crazy chapter. Lotsa stuff going on. To answer reviewer christine. <Br>
-First off, thanks for the great review ^_^ I wasn't sure what Shiori did for a profession ^_^(), so I made one up, but thanks for telling me. I might change it, but for now I hope it's ok to leave it. There's only one reference to Shiori's job in this chapter. ^_^()<Br>
-The name Shinzui Ookami kind of just came out of nowhere. My process of making names is finding words or names that will have a meaning to the character, but also sound right together. <Br>
-The title Aoitsuki Yurai breaks down into three words. Aoi - blue, tsuki - moon, Yurai - destiny or fate. So it basically means Blue Moon Destiny. ^_^ Spent an entire afternoon trying to figure out a title that sounded right for the story. <Br>
- I got the baka kitsune thing from other fanfics I've read. Mostly the stuff by Hanyou Lothluial and Kaeru Soyokaze. <Br>
-I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed this story. ^_^ It makes me feel more confident in my writing and I tend to write more of a story if I have more confidence. <Br>
- OK! Long A/N's finished. When we left our characters, Shinzui had been attacked by a bat demon and it was discovered that she could use spirit energy. Now she's at Kurama's house sleeping in his room, leaving Kurama to sleep on the couch. What shall unfold during this chapter? Well, let's find out! ^_^ Enjoy!<Br>
<Br>
* * * * * * * * <Br>
<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; A silver fox demon trotted to the middle of a field full of tall grass and strange flowers. The fox suddenly took the form of a tall man with long, silver hair and a pair of silver fox ears were poking out of his hair. His golden eyes were settled on a figure's back not too far away from him and his silver fox tail twitched. A wind rustled the fabric of his white outfit of a sleeveless, long tunic and puffed pants with a sash tied around his waist. The figure in front of him was looking up at the bright full moon and dark sky dotted with stars above them. <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; The figure turned around to face the fox demon, long silver hair a shade darker than the fox's was blowing around a bit, but there was a pair of silver wolf ears were twitching slightly, listening for something. A female wolf demon stood before him, her silver tail swishing from side to side and a pair of amber colored eyes staring at him. She wore a silver outfit of a similar style and a silver-blue sash was tied around her waist. Her mouth curved into a mysterious smile as she folded her arms across her chest. Various scars were slightly visible on her skin in the moonlight. <Br>
"You're late, Yoko," she said in a melodic voice, "I've been waiting for over an hour." Her eyes had a mischievous glint in them.<Br>
"I would've been here sooner," replied the fox demon, smiling a bit, "But my gang wanted to finish the plan before we dispersed."<Br>
"Did Kuroune insist on doing the looting tonight?" asked the wolf demon.<Br>
"Yeah, but we convinced him to follow the plan," answered Yoko, chuckling.<Br>
"You know that I worry when you go looting," said the wolf demon, walking towards Yoko, she was about a head shorter than him, "I fear that you'll get caught one of these days. I don't want to lose you. You're all I have left." She caressed Yoko's cheek with her hand, her amber eyes softening as she smiled at him.<Br>
"Inu, I won't get caught," said Yoko, sighing, "Don't worry." He cupped her face in his hands, feeling her soft skin, and then running a hand through her silky hair. "I'm the best at what I do. Looting."<Br>
"Then if I've stolen stuff from you," said Inu, raising an eyebrow, "Does that make me better at what you do?"<Br>
"Perhaps," replied Yoko, smiling, "Maybe the both of us should go looting and see who can get more stuff." Both demons broke into storms of laughter and he watched Inu turn to look at the moon. "Is it telling you omens again?" He snaked his arms around her waist and hugged her to him.<Br>
"No, it's being a very sneaky moon," replied Inu, leaning against him and placing her hands over his, "The stars don't reveal anything either."<Br>
"You're the only demon I know who can read the stars and moon," said Yoko, turning the wolf demon around to look at her, "Does that come from the blood that your mother gave you?"<Br>
"Yes," answered Inu, looking down, "She used to tell me stories about what the stars would tell her." She circled her arms about the fox's torso and rested her head against his chest with a content sigh. "You're the only one who's ever found out about that blood and still accepted me." She raised her head to look into his eyes. "That's why I love you, Yoko Kurama."<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Inu raised herself up a bit, to press her lips against Yoko's in a gentle kiss and the two stayed like that as the wind blew around them. The image suddenly shattered and the pieces flew away in a whirlwind of color. A new set of images came up, showing a strange area with several ReiKai people surrounding Inu as Yoko watched from behind a tree. Two horned demons were holding Inu back as a woman stood before her, reading off a piece of paper.<Br>
"You stand accused of trying to tear open a portal to Ningenkai and Reikai," said the woman, "It is said that your methods would've destroyed both worlds as well as Makai. I hope you realize that this is a very serious crime and the punishment is death."<Br>
"I didn't do it!" exclaimed Inu, looking horrified, "Why would I want to do that?! I'm perfectly happy here!"<Br>
"That's not what the witness told us," said the woman, looking at the wolf demon, "He came forward and explained everything in such perfect detail that it we had to believe it."<Br>
"So Reikai is really run by idiots," said Inu, glaring at him, "Who accused me of such a horrible crime!"<Br>
The woman ignored her question and continued to read off the paper. "Your supposed attempt caused the death of many humans who were in the area where the portal almost opened. Not to mention the deaths of many demons and Reikai employees who tried to stop you."<Br>
"W... What?" said Inu, staring at him, her eyes oddly dim, "I was just doing a spell! I wasn't opening a portal to Ningenkai or Reikai!"<Br>
"None the less," said the woman, "You've been found guilty of the crime and are hereby sentenced to death"<Br>
"WHAT?!" exclaimed Inu, staring at the woman, "You've got to be kidding me!" She felt herself rise off the ground. "No! Wait!" A burst of energy blew the demons back from her and knocked over the woman.<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; There was a flash of metal as something hit Inu across and then down her back. With a yelp of pain, Inu collapsed into a heap as a metal object hit her in the center of the mark that had been made on her back. Her eyes were blank as she lay there in a pool of her own blood and Yoko, his eyes wide with horror, but over bright, silently crept away. He was soon running across the field they had met in and he stopped there, falling to his knees, panting. Yoko glared at the sky and let loose a yell full of rage and anguish.<Br>
<Br>
* * * * * * * <Br>
<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama woke up with a start and sat bolt upright when he heard a yelp coming from his room. Brushing his bangs away from his eyes he felt cold sweat on his forehead and it felt like he had run a long distance. He heard violent rustling and groaning coming from his room and curiosity made him investigate. Kurama gently pushed open the door and saw Shinzui tossing and turning, muttering words that were garbled, and saw sweat dripping down her forehead. <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Shinzui suddenly stopped tossing and turning, only to curl up as best she could, shaking under the covers. She was whimpering quietly and Kurama walked over to her, concerned at this sudden odd behavior. As Kurama knelt down to brush her bangs out of her face, he felt a strange sensation pass between them. Shinzui's hand searched for his and gripped it tightly as she continued to go through a nightmare. She slowly stopped shaking and breathed hard as if she had just run several miles, cold sweat dripping down her forehead. <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama felt her hand release the grip and go limp as her dreams became peaceful. He stood up and began to leave, but a familiar scent caught his attention and Shinzui's blue and white rose caught his eye. He noticed that his mother had put it in a vase of water, but it was open instead of closed and it seemed to feed off the moonlight. He went to touch the petals when Shinzui let out a growl, which startled Kurama and he retreated back to the couch to hear a scratching on the door. <Br>
"What could that be?" he whispered to himself, walking to the door and opening it to see Kouken sitting there, staring up at him, "Oh... It's you. Are you looking for Shinzui? She's in here." Kouken wagged his tail at Kurama. "My mother won't mind you, come in, she's in my room." He stepped to the side, allowing Kouken to trot in and head straight to his room. Kurama watched as Kouken lay down beside the bed and fall asleep. "Interesting dog." Yawning, Kurama returned to the couch, lay down, and fell into a now dreamless sleep.<BR>
<Br>
* * * * * * *<Br>
<BR>
&a mp;nbsp; The next day, Kurama returned home to find his mother getting ready to go out and a sleepy Kouken drinking some water out of a bowl. His mother turned to see him and smiled, patting the dog on the head.<Br>
"Sweet dog," said Shiori, smiling at her son, "I'm afraid your friend still hasn't woken up yet, but her wounds are healing very nicely and all the small cuts she had are already healed. I need to go to my shift at the hospital, so I expect you to take care of Shinzui if she wakes up. Please check her hand for me, I never got to check it." <Br>
"Yes, mother," said Kurama as his mother gave him a hug and a kiss before she left. When she did, Kurama looked at Kouken. "Well, your mistress seems to like sleeping." <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kouken barked and trotted back to where Shinzui was sleeping, curling up beside the bed. Kurama sat down with the first aid kit and unbandaged Shinzui's hand, which had healed a little bit. He cleaned it with a cloth, then applied some healing salve to the wounds, and wrapped it up with clean bandages. Shinzui muttered something that made Kurama stop what he was doing and stare at the girl.<Br>
"Reikai must be run by monkeys." The girl moved a bit and muttered something that was entirely different. "You will be thrown into a pool of Jello and then dropped into a vat of pudding. Oh, my mistake, it's a pool of jagged objects and a vat of acid. The message was smudged." Her eyes fluttered open, a dull, bleary blue, and she blinked several times before they returned to a bright blue color. "EH?! Where am I?!" She sat up so quickly that Kurama fell backwards in surprise, but pain shot through her back and with a yelp she fell out of the bed on top of Kurama. "OW! Dammit..."<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama propped himself on his elbows and stared at the girl still sitting on him, trying vainly to disentangle herself from the blanket. Her long hair was hanging down and it contrasted strangely with the green of his pjs, which looked a bit large on her. Shinzui was losing the battle against the blankets, finding herself more tangled in them than before, and she stared at Kurama with a child-like innocence and a helpless look in her eyes. With a sigh, he lifted her off of him and helped her unwind from the blankets.<Br>
"The blankets don't seem to want to untangle," said Kurama, working on the blankets as Shinzui sat there, "You might have to walk around with them on like a toga for the rest of your life."<Br>
"Maybe I should try standing up," said Shinzui, using the bed to get to her feet, "It might work." Unfortunately, her legs had apparently gone on strike and wouldn't keep her up. She had managed to get out of the blankets, but she toppled forwards when she let go of the bed. "NYA!" Hands grabbed her under the arms and she looked up at Kurama, blushing red in embarrassment, "Um... Thanks." She looked at the blankets. "Well, that worked. I guess." <Br>
"Yes, it did," said Kurama, picking her up and setting her on the bed, "But your legs don't have any strength to support you." He put the blankets over her and she shifted the pillow to lean back against it.<Br>
"Damn," muttered Shinzui, putting a hand to her head, "How long have I been asleep and what happened?" <Br>
"You've only been asleep for about a day," replied Kurama, "Do you not remember what happened in the park last night?"<Br>
"I remember my dad throwing me out of the house," said Shinzui, thinking as she rubbed her head, "But the rest is a blur." She sat straight up when she spotted her dog sitting near the bed. "Kouken!" The dog barked and leapt on to bed as Shinzui leaned back again, scratching his ears with a faint look of surprise on her face. "How did you get here?!" <Br>
"He went looking for you and ended up here," replied Kurama, dragging the chair over from his desk to sit down next to the bed.<Br>
"He doesn't like it if I disappear for some unknown reason," said Shinzui, smiling at Kouken as he licked her hand, "He's like a protective older brother." She giggled as Kouken barked and leapt into Kurama's lap, nearly knocking the red-head off his seat. "He likes you." Her eyes moved to look at Kurama. "Anyway, what happened last night in the park?"<Br>
"Um..." Kurama searched for words, but wasn't sure if he should tell her about the bat demon and the fact that she destroyed it with her own energy. He glanced at Shinzui, who was looking at him expectantly.<Br>
"Hmm," said Shinzui as Kurama stayed silent, closing her eyes with her brow furrowed in concentration, trying to remember, "I faintly remember a strange creature and silver light." She looked up at Kurama, her strange eyes fixed on his. "I know you were there. Please tell me what happened last night." Kurama stayed silent. "Shuichi, I want to know, even if it will cause pain."<Br>
Kurama took a deep breath and exhaled with a sigh, looking down at the girl in front of him and spoke. "Last night, you were attacked by a bat demon who was serving someone he called Master Koumori." He was trying hard not to look at Shinzui's eyes, which were fixed unblinkingly on him and their gaze made it very hard for Kurama to lie to her. "The silver light you remember was your own spirit energy when you released it. You used two different attacks and passed out from your wounds and the amount of energy you used." <Br>
"So, that's what makes the plants grow," muttered Shinzui, finally blinking her eyes, but when she saw the quizzical look on Kurama's face, she sighed and continued. "I might as well tell you that this isn't the first time I've done something weird like that." <i>It's not like I can keep this sort of thing quiet,</i> she thought, staring at her lap. "Ever since I was a little girl, I could make plants grow, bloom, or heal at my leisure. That's why I was isolated when I was little. I never had many friends if they found out about my abilities." She closed her eyes, smiling a bit. "The only person who thought it was a blessing..." Her hands clenched the fabric of the blankets and she went silent, opening her eyes to stare down at her lap.<Br>
Kurama saw that her eyes had become a deep crystal blue again, which apparently signified sadness or pain. "You should rest." He patted Kouken on the head and set him on the bed next to Shinzui. "My mother said that you won't heal any faster if you don't get rest."<Br>
Shinzui looked at him and smiled a bit. "Ok, I'll try to get more sleep." A small growl was heard from the bed, but the dog was curled up contently next to Shinzui. "Uh..." Her face turned red as Kurama covered his mouth to stifle a laugh. "I think I'm a bit hungry." She smiled sheepishly up at him, scratching the back of her head a bit. <Br>
"Stay in bed," said Kurama, standing up, "I'll go make something." <Br>
"Uh... No need to cook anything," said Shinzui quickly, looking embarrassed, "Microwaved soup or ramen would be just fine."<Br>
"No, I insist," said Kurama, smiling at the girl's flustered look, "My mother said to take care of you if you woke up, so I will." He hushed Shinzui when she opened her mouth to speak. "Now, lie back down while I go make some food." He chuckled as she lay back down, looking like a pouting child, but her attention returned to Kouken as Kurama left for the kitchen, thinking to himself, <i>She's quite a puzzle, but seems too innocent to be involved in things like demons.</i> He stopped when he heard Shinzui whispering something to her dog.<Br>
"Shuichi's a nice guy, don't you think, Kouken," whispered Shinzui, scratching the dog's ears, "I've never met anyone who would come near me after I use any sort of ability." Kouken barked. "Tenma and his gang don't count because they'd come after me even if I was some sort of demon." <Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama went to the kitchen and worked on making a soup while the sounds of Kouken's barking and Shinzui's giggling drifted to his ears. About half an hour later, he was finished with the soup and poured some into a bowl. He set the bowl on a plate with some crackers, set the food on a tray, and took it in to his room. Shinzui looked at him, slowly sitting up as Kurama walked over to her and scooting back to lean against the pillow. Kouken leapt off the bed as Kurama set the tray on Shinzui's lap and sat down in the chair, pulling it closer to the bed.<Br>
Shinzui sniffed at the soup and smiled. "That smells good." She picked up the spoon and tasted the spoonful of soup. "Wow... This is REALLY good." She spooned some more into her mouth. "I've never tasted this kind of soup before! What's your secret?" She looked at Kurama as she started eating the crackers and the rest of the soup.<Br>
"An old family recipe," replied Kurama, thinking to himself, <i>Not to mention a few herbs to help you heal faster and sleep.</i> He smiled as Shinzui continued to compliment the soup and finished it fairly quickly, licking the last traces from her lips.<Br>
"Well, if you can cook more things like that," she said using a napkin to wipe her mouth, "You could open a restaurant." She put a hand over her mouth as she yawned and said. "I must be more tired than I thought." She closed her eyes, letting her head droop, and was asleep within a few minutes.<Br>
&a mp;nbsp; Kurama smiled at Shinzui, removing the tray from her lap, and got up to put it in the kitchen. When he came back, Shinzui had moved a bit and was now laying flat on the bed, but the blankets were strewn on the ground again. Chuckling quietly, Kurama picked the blankets up and pulled them over Shinzui. He gently brushed her shaggy bangs out of her face and walked out of the room to start on his homework.<Br>
<Br>
* * * * * * * * <Br>
<Br>
Wasn't that fun? Ok, I can't decide how I want Shinzui to find out that Shuichi's name is actually Kurama (Yeah, he still doesn't want her to know) ^_^() Time to ask the reviewers! They're smart and they'll be helpful! here are the choices.<Br>
A.) A demon reveals it during a battle.<Br>
B.) Kurama tells her himself.<Br>
C.) Someone in the group slips up and says it. <Br>
D.) Um... some other situation o.O()<Br>
Those are the choices.. Well, D is actually a free space ^_^() Anyway, I hope you liked that chapter. Please review.<Br>
<Br>
SNEAK PEEK!: <Br>
<Br>
** More batty trouble and another person appears!<Br>
<Br>
** Kouken demonstrates the meaning of the word chase.<Br>
<Br>
** A small bit of history info on Shinzui and Kouken<Br>
<Br>
Wondering what I mean? Find out in the next exciting chapter of Aoitsuki Yurai! ^_^<Br>
<Br>
<Br><!-- Start of Angelfire Ad Code Insertion -->
<script language="JavaScript" src="/sys/common_scripts.js"></script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
if(!displayTopAd()) document.write("<!" + "--");
//-->
</script>
<div align="center">
<IFRAME SRC="http://ln.doubleclick.net/adi/bottom.ln/af;h=misc;sz=728x90;!cate gory=adult;!category=sexualovertones;ord=1376224328338?" width=728 height=90 frameborder=0 border=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 vspace=0 scrolling=no></IFRAME>
<br />
</div>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
if(!displayTopAd()) document.write("-" + "->");
//-->
</script>
<!-- Start of Angelfire Ad Code Insertion -->
<script language="JavaScript" src="/sys/common_scripts.js"></script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
if(!displayAd()) document.write("<!" + "--");
//-->
</script>
<div id="FooterAd_3373" name="FooterAd_3373" style="position:absolute; visibility:hidden; left:0px; top:0px">
<table width="468" cellspadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0">
<tr>
<td width="468" align="center"><IFRAME SRC="http://ln.doubleclick.net/adi/af.ln/memberembedded;dcopt=ist;h=mi sc;sz=468x60;!category=adult;!category=sexualovertones;!category=gaming;!ca tegory=tobacco;!category=adult;!category=sexualovertones;ord=1376224328338? " width=468 height=60 frameborder=0 border=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0 vspace=0 scrolling=no></IFRAME></td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
function showAd (adId) {
var adRef = gE(adId); var sHeight=gH(); var sWidth=gW();
if( sWidth > 468 ) sWidth= parseInt(sWidth/2) - 234; else sWidth= 0;
sX(adRef, sWidth); sY(adRef, sHeight); sE(adRef);
}
window.onload = function () {
showAd('FooterAd_3373');
setKeywordCookie();
buildExitHandler();
}
if(!displayAd()) document.write("-" + "->");
function setKeywordCookie() {
var expdate = new Date ();
expdate.setTime (expdate.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
var keyword = '(none)';
if( keyword == "(none)") {
keyword = '';
}
var reg = new RegExp("http://([\\w\\.\\-]*\\.)?(tripod|angelfire|lycos).com/");
if ( ! reg.test( document.referrer ) ){
SetCookie("Keyword", keyword, '', "/", ".angelfire.com");
}
}
function buildExitHandler () {
if (document.getElementsByTagName) {
var arrAnchor = document.getElementsByTagName('A');
for (i=0;i < arrAnchor.length;i++){
if (arrAnchor[i].getAttribute) {
if ( ! arrAnchor[i].onclick ) {
arrAnchor[i].onclick = function () { exitPage(this); };
}
}
}
}
}
function exitPage(a) {
var reg = new RegExp("^http://([\\w\\.\\-]*\\.)?(tripod|angelfire|lycos).com/") ;
if ( reg.test( a.href ) ){
return true;
}
var windowLocation = "/adm/redirect/www/cgi-bin/exit/exit_page";
var expdate = new Date ();
expdate.setTime (expdate.getTime() + (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000));
var visited = GetCookie("ExitPage");
var keyword = GetCookie("Keyword");
if ( ! keyword ) { keyword = ''; }
if ( ! visited ){
w = window.open('', "tr_exit", 'height=700,width=780,scrollbars=yes,resizable=yes' +
'toolbar=no,directories=no,status=no,menubar=no' );
w.location = windowLocation + "?q=" + keyword;
SetCookie( "ExitPage", "viewed", expdate, "/", ".angelfire.com");
}
}
function SetCookie (name,value,expires,path,domain,secure){
document.cookie = name + "=" + escape (value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "");
}
function getCookieVal (offset){
var endstr = document.cookie.indexOf (";", offset);
if (endstr == -1)
endstr = document.cookie.length;
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(offset, endstr));
}
function GetCookie (name){
var arg = name + "=";
var alen = arg.length;
var clen = document.cookie.length;
if( (document.cookie == null) || (document.cookie.length == null)){
return null;
}
var i = 0;
while (i < clen){
var j = i + alen;
if (document.cookie.substring(i, j) == arg)
return getCookieVal (j);
i = document.cookie.indexOf(" ", i) + 1;
if (i == 0) break;
}
return null;
}
//-->
</script>
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
// Cache-busting LUBID bug.
var ran = Math.round(Math.random() * 899999) + 100000;
var lubid_string = "<img src=\"http://hb.lycos.com/header?VID=6105&LHIG=1&ord=" + ran + "\" height=\"1\" width=\"1\">";
document.write(lubid_string);
//-->
</script>
<noscript><img src="http://hb.lycos.com/header?VID=6105&LHIG=1" height="1" width="1"></noscript>
<br>
<!-- End of Angelfire Ad Code Insertion -->