Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Legal Human Practice ❯ Cursed Children ( Chapter 37 )

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Cursed Children

calikocat

Word count: 1845

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Xander huffed impatiently as she leaned against the minivan Kazuma had rented. She was bored out of her mind and annoyed with all the pompous ceremony crap the adults insisted on doing. The kid's dad didn't want him, his grandparents and aunt did, what was the big deal?

“Custody shouldn't be this difficult.”

Willow gave her a nudge. “There was a curse mentioned...maybe that's what makes things complicated.”

“Adults make things complicated.”

“Xan, take a breath.” Buffy settled on her other side. “We said we'd wait here, that's what we're gonna do.”

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Kazuma had studied each member of the Sohma clan as they entered the room; every one of them was young. Every one of them had an animal spirit attached to them. It was unlike the merging that Xander had gone through with her hyena. Even upon death the hyena would stay merged with Xander and they would travel to Reikai together as one soul. The Sohma's, however, would be released by the animal spirits when they died. This must be the curse.

Hiei met his eyes and Kazuma knew that Hiei sensed and saw what was happening in front of them as the Sohmas lined up in front of them to their rights. The three oldest of the cursed ones were three young men just out of their teens, perhaps even Kazuma's age. One was a dog, another a snake and the third was a sea horse?

The other cursed Sohma were much younger and it took a moment for Kazuma to realize that the animal spirits were from the old Chinese zodiac. What the hell?

“What are we missing?” Kako asked. “You see something I don't?” Her voice was low, a whisper, however, the dog seemed to hear her.

“What do you feel?” He whispered back.

“Like there are more spirits in the room than people.”

“Exactly.”

“The curse Jun spoke of?” Eiko asked.

“Probably.”

The head of the Sohma clan entered the room then, the otherness of Sohma Akito made him frown. There wasn't a spirit possessing him...Kazuma didn't know what the kid was. He sat directly in front of them on a sort of low throne and smiled at Kazuma coldly.

“Why are you here?”

“My name is Kuwabara Kazuma.”

“Jun's clansman. Her death is a great loss to us all.”

Kazuma decided to cut through the crap. “Do you know why Jun took her own life?”

“I'm told she suffered from depression.”

“She told me that she wanted to save her son from the curse, and from this clan.”

“Oh? When did Jun tell you this?”

“The day of her funeral, her spirit came to me to ask for help. So here we are, and we'll be taking Kyo-chan with us.”

“That's not possible.”

“Her spirit visiting me? Or Kyo-chan coming home with his family?”

“Any of it.” Akito's dark eyes were amused and cruel. “Does depression and insanity run in your family?”

“Setting him on fire would speed things up,” Hiei muttered; Kazuma didn't comment.

“I want to see my grandson.” Eiko demanded. “I want to hold him and bring him home where he belongs.”

“He belongs with the Sohma's.”

“You monster,” Kako cried out. “My sister died to free him; he belongs with family who will love him.”

“Monster?” Akito smiled at them. “Kyo, please join us.”

The door to the left slid open and Kyo entered the room, sliding it closed behind him. His orange hair took Kazuma by surprise, as did the twisted spirit of a cat; Kyo walked silently, eyes downcast, and waited for further instruction.

“So this is the curse,” Hiei said aloud, “in its entirety.” His face was kind as he looked at Kyo. “You have nothing to fear Kyo. Your clan head loves cats.”

Kyo's head shot up and he looked to Hiei in shock, and then at Akito before whispering, “No one likes cats.”

“True.” Akito agreed.

“I meant the head of your mother's clan.” Hiei told them. “Kuwabara Kazuma.” He tilted his head and smirked at the Sohma head. “Didn't you know Akito?”

“Know what?”

“The Kuwabara clan is full of psychics. Kazuma can see the animals possessing them.” Every Sohma in the room tensed. “I suppose you fill the role of god in this zodiac?”

Akito stood, anger etched in his perfect young face. “You think you know so much?” He stepped forward and grabbed the warding bracelet from Kyo's wrist. There was a poof of smoke and what sounded like a muted explosion, Kyo's clothes went flying and left standing in his place was the cursed and twisted form of the cat spirit. “Now you see our curse, the curse of the cat. Not that you'll remember.”

“Why would we forget?” Eiko asked, she was staring at her grandson in horror, but still moving toward him. “We came here to take him home and we will. We will break this curse no matter how long it takes.” She placed her hand on Kyo's shoulder. “You are my grandson, and that will never change.”

“She's dead because of me.” Kyo sobbed.

“That's right Kyo. You're mother couldn't stand the sight of you, that's why she took her own life.” Akito's smile was twisted and Kazuma knew the only monster in the room was Akito.

Kyo shrugged Eiko's hand off of him and she fell back into Kako's arms. “It’s alright Kyo, it’s alright.” Kako reassured him. “We don't care about the curse, you are one of us. You are a Kuwabara.”

“This monster is nothing but an abomination; if killing it would rid us of the curse I would do it myself!”

Kyo cried harder, and Kazuma blinked in surprise because he could feel Xander running toward them, Buffy and Willow not far behind her. Then a hyena came crashing through the paper and wood frame door snarling and baring her fangs. Akito stumbled away in fear of the beast while the rest the Sohma's stared in shock. Xander ignored them all and went straight for Kyo who was still crying. The hyena, Xander, whined at him and nuzzled at the monstrous face before licking the tears away. Kyo, surprised, stared at the hyena for a moment before embracing it.

Buffy peeked into the room. “Uh...oops.”

Kazuma looked at her, puzzled. “What happened, Buffy?”

The girl shrugged. “Xander heard someone crying, we couldn't stop her.”

Willow peeked in as well. “Are we taking the little boy home yet?”

No one answered her; instead Hiei stood to move in front of Kyo and Xander. “You are not a demon Kyonkichi, merely cursed.” He smirked. “And even if you were a demon the Kuwabara Clan would not turn you away.” Kyo blinked away tears, still hanging onto Xander and Hiei continued. “Because even demons are accepted into the Kuwabara Clan.” He unwrapped his jagan revealing his third eye before shifting to his more demonic form.

As his skin turned green and the many eyes opened up along his body the Sohma's gasped and Akito screamed in fear. “Demon!”

“Well yeah, he just said that didn't he?” Buffy rolled her eyes. “But Kyo's like, not a demon.”

“He is.” Akito insisted.

“Nu-uh. I'd feel it if he was, but he feels human to me, and I'm a vampire slayer. I can tell the difference between demons and humans.”

“Is no one going to ask where the hyena came from?” The young man with the dog spirit asked; the first of the other Sohmas to speak.

Xander shifted back then, returning to her human form, making the boys and young men in the room blush. She smiled at Kyo. “I guess not everyone is lucky enough to choose the spirit that possesses them.”

“You chose to be possessed?” The boy with the spirit of the rat asked.

“We made a deal...though I'm still getting used to being a girl.” She winked at Kyo. “I used to be a boy.” Suddenly Kyo poofed again and Xander's arms were full of an adorable orange kitten.

“He's so cute!” Willow exclaimed.

Xander handed Kyo to Eiko. “You wanted to hold him right?”

Eiko accepted the crying kitten and cradled him in her arms. “I'm holding my grandson for the first time.” Tears streamed down her face.

“Hatori! Erase their memories!” Akito demanded.

The young man with the seahorse spirit started to rise, but Kazuma released his spirit energy until it filled the room and the Sohmas couldn't move. “My mate told you that the Kuwabara clan was full of psychics.” He stood and he knew he was glowing enough that even the most mundane humans could see. “We'll be taking Kyo with us.”

They left without another word, Eiko in the lead still carrying Kyo, Kako at her side. Hiei shifted out of his cursed form and warded his jagan once more, he waited until Xander shifted back to Hyena form and the teens followed the reunited family out.

“You can't do this.” Akito snarled.

“Kyo belongs with us,” Hiei told the boy.

Kazuma nodded. “Besides, no one but Hiei can understand what Kyo is feeling.”

“What?”

“Even among demons there are certain children who are considered cursed. Hiei was such a child, his clan cast him out and in her grief his mother committed suicide.”

“And this doesn't bother you? Being with a demon?”

Kazuma only smiled. “I love Hiei and I always will, and he's right. The Kuwabara clan accepts everyone, even demons.” Hiei took his hand and they walked past the broken door, leaving the Sohma clan behind.

The only one standing in their way was Sohma Kazuma, who stood waiting by the minivan. Kako handed him a slip of paper and he frowned at her. “What is this?”

“My sister Jun said you were welcome among the Kuwabara's. If you want to visit Kyo this is where we'll be.” They left him there and piled into the rental minivan, glad to get out of the oppressive Sohma compound.

Kazuma shuddered as Kako drove them away. “That curse...it’s more of a spell I think.”

“It doesn't feel evil.” Willow suggested. “I mean the Hellmouth feels way eviler.”

“It’s very old.” Hiei told them. “Whoever placed it on the Sohma's did so long ago, and they were a very powerful wizard.”

“Ugh...does that mean we have to research?” Buffy asked. “Because it’s our summer vacation.”

“It can wait. Who wants ice cream?” There was a chorus of 'I do's' including several excited yips from the hyena in the back.

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