Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ the Hanyou II: All's Fair in Love and War ❯ Chapter 8 So we Return ( Chapter 8 )

A/N- FINALY!! MY LAPTOP WORKS AGAIN AND I CAN FINALY GET ON WITH MY STORIES ONCE AGAIIIIINNNNN!! That's why I haven't updated in a while, but now I'm back!

 

Why should I welcome your domination,

Why should I listen to explanations,

I'm not pretending to make it simple

Try to be something experimental

You can't turn it off

I will never fail

Things I love you for

Are not for sale

Keep yourself faraway

Faraway from me

I will always be your

Perfect enemy…

Perfect Enemy: Tatu

 

--== I don't own anything, but my own characters!

 

Chapter 8- So We Return

 

 

“So let me get this straight,” Yusuke narrowed his eyes on the Kitsune across from him as they sat down formally in one of the many rooms of his fathers' castle, “you want to make a firm alliance with our lands while you back stab Yomi when we attack him? Who says we're going to attack that bastard?”

 

“That is a little more complicated.” Joey admitted, “You're aware of demons having different powers? Mine just happens to be the gift of foresight. I had a vision of the day your father finally dies. You brashly approach Yomi's lands and challenge him to something, but to what, I know not.”

 

“I'd rather live life in the moment, but thanks for the preview.” Yusuke snorted, “Alright, I'm game in this little plan of yours, but why would you go against Yomi? From what I hear, he'd be the perfect ally. What's with allying you self with us; a country with a dieing lord?”

 

Joey gritted his teeth, “You really do have what it takes to be a spirit detective like I've heard. Your questions are dead on to corner your prey.”

 

“Yeah, whoo hoo, I'm a rock star and all that shit, now answer me.” Yusuke brushed off.

 

Joey smirked at the boys' attitude. He really did like how this upcoming lord of the Northern Lands acted. These lands could use a youthful out look like the two of them. The old ways were too old to go by.

 

“Yomi is holding someone very dear to me too close for comfort and for another man that I don't really care for. With her absence of my country, I am unable to complete my union of the clans in my country. With out a union, we can't hope to defend very well against any attack Yomi or Mukuro would decided to instigate on us.”

 

“Your mate or something?” Yusuke dead panned.

 

“My mate is right here at my side, Yusuke.” Joey nodded to Nar who sat at his right flank while Ryoga sat at his left flank. Both with their eyes respectfully down cast, although Nar's tail twitched agitatedly, “the woman in which I speak is Desota Ishtar; my younger half-sister.”

 

“Desota?” soon as the light dawned on who this guy was talking about, Yusuke's eyes widened, “YOU'RE Dessy's older bro?! I didn't know she had any other family alive!”

 

“You know her?” Joey sounded surprised.

 

“Hell yeah! I know her, she was involved deeply in my last case as a… detective,” Yusuke's eyes started to darken as he realized just how involved she was. He glared at the Kitsune across him and let his aura flare up dangerously, “You have some nerve showing yourself to me!”

 

“I'm afraid I don't understand your anger….” Joey started to prepare himself for defense. Ryoga's hand gripped at his sword, waiting for Yusuke to attack as the cue for him to defend his lord.

 

“You left her alone to Sensui's wrath with out even lifting a finger to help her! She literally died at his hands because she was too caught up in his web! She could have avoided that if she wasn't so lonely with out any family for all those years after her parents died protecting her! Not to mention you did nothing to protect her for being hunted down all these years! She doesn't even know she has a brother!” Yusuke's aura flared up again as he started to stand up.

 

“She only recently learned of my existence.” Joey admitted before he bristled and let his aura flare up as well. The strength of the two made the room spark as both powers seemed dangerously equal in strength, “However, due to the war down here, I had no idea she was even still alive until I found out from my own scouts that Sensui had created a portal to human realm! I couldn't have helped her even if I'd known earlier on!” Joey was getting more and more angry with himself rather than Yusuke, “If I'd known before hand, do you honestly think I'd have let you destroy Sensui? I'd have made sure even Hell wouldn't accept him.” He snarled fiercely.

 

Nar put a calming hand on his shoulder to remind him that he needed to remain calm and he slowly started to regain his control.

 

“Don't try to smooth over anything with me.” Yusuke sneered, “It'll take more than that to get on my good side with you,”

 

“This is hardly the point, Yusuke.” Joey growled frustrated.

 

“Then tell me what the point is!”

 

“The point is that what Sensui had done can and most likely will happen again if Yomi discovers the curse inside her!” Joey snapped.

 

“The curse?” Yususke's aura deflated quickly, “What do you mean? I thought we sealed that when she died?”

 

“You sealed it pretty good, but that curse is coursing through our blood and will never leave completely. Given the proper prompting, it'll come back and could harm her again. Her curse is only one part of the whole that we share. So long as I can feel my own, hers is still there,”

 

“What part of the curse do you have? If hers is never ending power, then what do you have?” Yusuke asked.

 

“Hers is never ending power that she cannot control if another power is calling it as of yet. She's not been trained to stabilize her power as I have been by our own father.”

 

“And here I thought parents didn't like playing favorites”

 

“Far from it, Yusuke. If my father were playing favorites, I'd be only second in his eyes. as it stood in his cause of death, Desota is his favorite and was to be his heir, but when she was younger she violently declined from it and even ran away for a few nights to hide out in the woods near the estate until father relented and changed his will to give me his lands if and only if she were to up hold a second in command position in our courts.” Joey explained.

 

“This is the reason my lord is so vigorously trying to regain her into our circles as it were.” Ryoga interpreted.

 

“So no Dessy, no power to tell the people what the hell to do?” Yusuke surmised.

 

“And with out that power, the clans of the East face a tension of mass civil war amongst our own clans for dominance if Joey cannot ascend the thrown. By our laws, we must abide to our fallen King's wishes.” Nar added.

 

“Well this is all a very good campaign sap story, and if I were some common simpleton, you'd have me in tears now begging if there's anything I can do to help, but there's one thing that's not clicking for me….” Yusuke's eyes bore into Joeys head while the Kitsune seemed to sip his tea Hokoshin had personally brought in for the other young lord.

 

“And that would be? Honestly Yusuke, I truly don't want anything to hold either of us back in this friendship we forge here and now. What is it that holds you back?”

 

“You've told me about her `curse' and I already know the details from a practically intimate 1st hand experience with it not too long ago, but a little birdie told me there were 2 sides to this curse and that some one else with her blood must have the other half. He didn't bother to explain to any of us what that was though. Care to enlighten me on it?” his implied meaning wasn't lost.

 

Joey sighed, “You're really a piece of work, Yusuke. You're so uptight right now that it seems that you think you're talking about a touchy subject that is really nothing more than common knowledge to myself and my colleges.” The Kitsune lord chuckled when Yususke's wry look didn't falter, “Very well, Yusuke, since you have asked, I see no reason not to answer. While Desota has the gift of unlimited power she has yet to tame due to premature release of said power, my own has been able to mature along with me. The gift of Time is my power. It is why I'm able to glance into the future, and it also perks up a few fancy moves on the battle arena. It would take the fun out of it if I told you exactly the extent of my power just yet before we actually fight. So I'll let your over used imagination work with that. I'm sure you won't double cross me in any way for what I have to say.” The Kitsune grinned.

 

“Your being very forth coming with information for someone so wise. If you have the gift of Time, then how come your visions are so unstable if you say that you have such control over it?” Yusuke snided, “and who says I wont just use what you say against you?”

 

“If you protected my sister in the past, I know you'll do the same now.” Joey bowed his head, “Anyone who helps her has my respect. Besides a select few that tend to annoy me.” He sighed. (AKA Kurama), “as for the unstable visions, time and fate go hand in hand, but some fates are too faint to be clear, meaning that they can be changed if someone were to just step in at the right moment. Time is not set in stone. There is no prewritten version of it so my visions can sometimes be prophecies or they can be mere predictions of what MAY happen.” Joey explained honestly.

 

“My Lord,” Ryoga interrupted from his station behind Joey, “We must get to Yomi's soon. He'll get suspicious if we stay away much longer.”

 

“I understand Rooster head. We're almost done her.” Joey smiled back at him as he used the boys' hated nickname.

 

“Rooster head?” Yusuke smirked.

 

“His golden hair is always in the fashion of a rooster crown. Hence the name.” Joey quickly elaborated.

 

“Ah, I see.” Yusuke laughed, “Well I can honestly say that you're someone hard to figure out, Joey. I don't know whether I want to strangle you and hate you, or laugh with ya.” He admitted.

 

Joey smiled, “I often have that effect on people, but like Rooster Head said, I must be going. Do we have a deal, Yusuke?” he asked as he stood.

 

Yusuke nodded, “You have our loyalty as an ally, however if Yomi finds out that you're backstabbing him before hand…,”

 

“Fear not. We won't direct any unwanted attention on your recuperating country if things should get out of hand. The blame will fall wholly on us.” Ryoga assured.

 

“Very arrogant to put it that way. You must be confidant that Yomi won't find out.” Yusuke remarked.

 

“I am completely and utterly confidant that he won't out step his bounds.” Joey smirked, “how ever, when the time does come for you to meet him face to face, know that if he tries anything funny, I'll get your back”

 

Yusuke nodded to the Kitsune, “Just don't get caught doing your little back stabbing game with him, ne?”

 

Joey snorted as he turned to leave, “Yusuke, please. It's not healthy to think about obscene ideas that I'd ever get caught. Suspected- yes, it's too fun to see them squirm with uncertainty to pass up.” He smirked then left the Mazuku descendents' presence with his mate at his side and Ryoga trailing respectfully behind them.

 

 

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Kurama led his trainees though the portal Hakkuto created with Kyo on the fox avatars shoulder in chibbi form. As they proceeded to head across Demon Realm for Yomi's keep his heart was speeding up faster than he cared to allow it to go. He wanted to remain calm and not give his inner excitement away, but right now, he was sure his heart was going to warrant a speeding ticket with how fast it was beating. Today was the day he'd finally see her again. Yomi had promised him that she would return to him when he returned his end of the deal. He was fully prepared to force Yomi to back up his claim, and so were the other demons with him. All 8 fighters knew that the woman who was baring his child was in there and they all held a small amount of sympathy for him. Hakkuto especially. He was worried for the mother and child's wellbeing since they probably haven't been checked up on regularly.

 

The Unicorn demon watched the fox out of the corner of his eye. He noticed Kurama's knuckles were almost white and clenched to the point of nearly drawing blood. Kyo mewled when he too noticed the scent of Kurama's blood.

 

“If she is harmed, Kurama, just know that I'll be behind you if you so chose to attack Yomi in retaliation.” Hakkuto offered.

 

“A'll second that, Myate” Chou slurred; he was once again drunk off his ass.

 

“You bet'cha!” Jin smiled widely.

 

“Hai, Hai!” Kyo agreed quickly.

 

The rest of the fighters nodded in their own agreement that they were behind his every decision as a leader to them.

 

Kurama's expression lightened at their devotion to him and nodded his thanks, “Thank you for your patriotic enthusiasm, but I doubt it'll come to that.”

 

“Your hands are white and almost bloody. So you must be anticipating something intense.” Suzuki commented.

 

“Just a little nervous. Nothing more.” Kurama dismissed.

 

Kyo snorted in a `Bull-shit' way and leaped to the ground off Kurama's shoulder to transform to his larger form for the trip across demon realm.

 

The other demons shared a knowing look.

 

“We meant what we said, Kurama.” Shishiwakumaru insisted.

 

“You're over proving your point.” Kurama sighed half heartedly.

 

“Well if you weren't so mopey about it, we'd stop.” Renku huffed with his arms folded behind his head.

 

“Would you rather I run around with a cheesy smile plastered on?” Kurama bit out sarcastically as he started to lead the group forward with a had resting on Kyo's shoulder as the larger zhorse now walked faithfully beside him.

 

Jin giggled and Chou snickered behind his hand, “It'd be sum' thin ta see, it would” Chou snickered.

 

 

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“Lord Yomi,” Yuda bowed as he entered the court room.

 

“What is it?” Yomi asked.

 

“I've come to tell you why the hanyou isn't present to play the piano for your Lordships lunch.” Yuda said.

 

“And ………?”

 

“The hanyou is having problems with her pregnancy today and is required to stay in bed until it dampens down. It is getting close to the big date after all.” Yuda said.

 

“Very well, send for her anyways.” Yomi said indifferently.

 

Yuda was taken back, “But what if she is unable to even walk?”

 

“Then carry her. She has a place here and it's not to lie around in bed. Pregnant or not.” Yomi snorted.

 

Yuda's slightly agape mouth slowly closed, “Yes, my lord.” He bowed and went off to recruit the hanyou.

 

Yomi's ears twitched as a familiar voice whispered from the out skirts of his territory and he smiled.

 

“He has returned…,”

 

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“What do you mean he requires her presence?” Tsuya almost yelped, “Did you not tell him of her condition?”

 

“Aye, I did that, yet the lord still requires her talents.” Yuda muttered.

 

“Does one of those talents include puking all over the court room floor?” Desota grumbled as she got a hold of her raging stomach's protest at any and all movement for the time being.

 

“There is nothing we can do. Just find some way to suppress it for now.”

 

`I'd like to see him hold off a cranky baby inside him!' Desota inwardly seethed.

 

“I think I have a soothing spell that will subdue whatever's causing the pain for now, but it'll wear off in about 7 or 8 hours.” Tsuya thought aloud.

 

“That'll do, just do it quick. Lord Joseph is back and Yomi's expecting a new guest tonight.” With that said, Yuda left the girls to their own devices.

 

Desota and Tsuya sighed, “You'd think that even a pompous ass like Yomi would know when to give a girl a break. Especially when her stomach's as big as she was before she was pregnant.” Desota said with amused mirth lacing her tone.

 

Tsuya nodded, “I can only pray that I either never get pregnant or that my time is in the vary far off future.” She sighed, “Now come on then, let's get you ready.”

 

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Yomi awaited in the front room soon as the gateway guards announced Kurama's arrival. Waited patiently as the doors slowly were pulled open by the servants of the keep and smiled when he felt Kurama's signature aura seep in declaring the Kitsunes arrival.

 

“Kurama, It's been a while since you've graced me with your presence.” Yomi greeted openly.

 

Kyo was once again in his smaller form and now resided atop Chou's head where he could see everything. He perked his ears up at the new demon, but his ears quickly flopped back down in uncertainty.

“Kia kyo?” he mewled out softly as Yomi approached Kurama.

 

 

“Strange to say since it was you who drove me off only to have me come back in your benefit.” Kurama didn't miss a beat to reestablish to Yomi just how distant he felt toward him, but Yomi didn't hold anything against the fox. He knew he had every right to be weary of him.

 

“Come now, save the hostilities for a better date and time.” Yomi brushed him off.

 

“I look forward to greeting you and your apprentices formally in the short time to come, yet I must take a different route than you I'm afraid. If you would just follow Yuda here, he'll take you to the designated room we have for this special gathering. After of which, I bless you with a feast to sedated your empty stomachs after such a long journey.”

 

//He doesn't have to coat his words so thickly with sweet sauce.// Yoko huffed //Where is he keeping her?//

 

Yomi didn't give them time to venture further since he had already left the small group of incomers to depart down a different set of corridors and endless hallways while Yuda ushered them toward a small court room with a small curtained stage in the corner. Probably for background music for what ever dinner party Yomi might have arranged.

 

“Make yourselves comfortable as you like, but when Yomi is announced you shall present yourselves likewise to his honor.” Yuda demanded.

 

“There was no other way I'd allow presentation of my platoon.” Kurama inclined his head in acquiescence.

 

Hakkuto waited until Yuda was out of the room before letting a soft smile etch his features, “You can at least try to relax you know. We all know she's here just by the pregnancy hormones she's kicking up somewhere around this Keep.” He chuckled.

 

“That'aus `er?” Chou blinked, “Well I'll be! I thaut `at was some `utha shela run'n around in heat! But that's Kurama's girl?”

 

Chou's teammates sweat dropped comically, “its best if you lay off the booze for now, Chou.” Renku laughed.

 

Kurama watched them as they joked around a bit, but stiffened suddenly when a familiar scent wafted to his nose for the first time in months! He noticed that Kyo was noticeably happier when he too realized that someone was coming that they both knew and missed dearly.

 

// `It's HER!' // both he and Yoko thought together as they both expanded their range of sensing to try and pinpoint her location, but it wasn't needed.

 

“Kaya Kyo shana!” Kyo squealed in delight suddenly when the presence came into view.

 

Time seemed to stand still as he saw the very pregnant hanyou wobble in with a lemur demoness trailing her. Other than the toga like clothing Yomi's staff had put her in for her stay, she also sported a collar now, but the chain hung only loosely from her to the lemur attending her as if it were only for show. She seemed anything but happy to whatever her situation was. In fact she looked quite annoyed with her habitual left ear twitching he remembered vividly. Just like he had remembered everything else that was solely her.

 

He and the others watched quietly on the other side of the room as she and the unknown demoness approached the curtain covered stage with the demoness lending her a helping hand to guide her up the stairs. Kurama smiled warmly simply just seeing her again and how odd she looked with her very well rounded pregnant stomach causing her to move around differently. He wished that it were him helping her and not the lemur demoness.

 

Turning around to thank the demoness, Desota's movements across the small stage to behind the small curtain of the corner length stage stopped abruptly as her vivid aqua eyes found him at last. To say she was surprised was a drastic understatement considering he knew her heart stopped having his hearing so attuned to it ever since he found that she was here in the room unconsciously. She was damn well shocked! Yet not in a bad way since soon as her heart beat stopped, it then started again with vengeance. A deceitful break in her steeled mask she suddenly pulled on as she noticed someone approach on the other side of his group.

 

“Lord Yomi and Lord Joseph of the demon realm have arrived in the court!” Shachi bellowed at Yomi's left side, “Those presented in the court present yourself with honor in their presence!”

 

As if on cue, Kurama's small platoon aligned themselves up neatly in a row before the throne as Yomi made his way to his place. Joey took a seat in a well crafted chair on the sidelines of the room as a mere spectator with Nar on his right, Jaden on his left and Ryoga standing at attention beside Nar. The other members of the court took their respective places through out the room and awaited for the ceremony to begin.

 

Desota and Tsuya retreated behind the curtain and Tsuya immediately jumped her with questions that she mouthed so Yomi wouldn't catch her, `why did you freeze up?'

 

Desota's eye's shifted to the small opening between the two curtains, `that's him!' she mouthed back.

 

Tsuya's violet eyes widened and she too took a peek outside before turning to the hanyou, `the red headed hunky?'

 

Desota blushed but nodded then faltered, `wait which one??'

 

`The leader'

 

She nodded again.

 

Tsuya made a very low whistle. Damn this girl knew how to catch him, `he's the kid's son?' she cocked her head to the side.

 

Desota nodded again.

 

`Damn! He's fine! No wander you're so gaga for him.' She exadurated with a silly face plastered on her face as she imitated Desota's `gaga' face.

 

Desota blushed and shooed Tsuya's comments off to tell her to cut it out.

 

Tsuya shrugged and peaked out with her as they listened in on the conversation.

 

“What are they saying?” Tsuya strained more to catch the hushed voices on the other side of the room, “All I can make out are dinner dish names for dinner tonight! What is this some type of higher up messed up code?” the lemur demoness huffed.

 

Desota gave her a dead panned look, “Yuda said they'd have that important meeting or whatever after dinner, Tsuya. The reason why food names are being mentioned is because the royal waiters are describing the food from the menu tonight for the guests.”

 

“Then where are the tables and why did Yomi take his throne seat instead of at the head of the table??” Tsuya and Desota peaked out when they heard movement outside of the curtain confinements. It was then that they saw what happened to the tables; a few servant demons were just now bringing in the fancy tables and chairs.

 

“Forgive us, Lord Yomi, but we had a bit of trouble trying to get the tables out of the main dinning area and transporting them here like you whish.” One of the demons bowed as they set up and showed everyone an appointed seat.

 

Desota and Tsuya sweat dropped, “Well that explains a lot, ne?” Desota sighed.

 

“What are you talking about? I work here; of course I knew what was going on!” Tsuya bristled.

 

“Sure ya did- AH!” Desota hissed as a sharp pain stabbed at her stomach.

 

Tsuya immediately was concerned, “What is it? Are you okay??”

 

“Fine, but I think we didn't use enough of that potion…,” Desota hissed as she rubbed her own stomach where the light throb of pain was. The baby certainly had an attitude if this was anything to go by.

 

“OH, I'm sorry about that!” Tsuya's ears flopped, “Look, while you go out there and play for the guests, I'll use my teleportation ability to find the potion again and get it to ya, how's t that sound?”

 

“Thank you, Tsuya.” Desota nodded with a grateful smile.

 

“What are you two doing in here?!” Yuda hissed through his teeth agitated, “You're supposed to be playing for the dinner now!”

 

“Sorry, but nobody called out queue, Master Yoda.” Desota smiled sweetly as she spoke his hated nickname. Held against her will or not, this place was actually growing on her. Besides the fact that she had a bit of trouble relenting to Yomi's claim on power she was fine with it. Although she had publicly admitted her respect that she had forcefully refused before toward Yomi, Desota's fighting spirit seemed to be coming back to her. She was convinced that that show of weakness was just a fluke on her part.

 

Yuda growled annoyed, “Just get out there and do what Master Yomi keeps you alive to do!”

 

“I can't do all of that at the same time, there's a lot of reasons why that guy's keeping me alive.” Desota snickered, enjoying being difficult.

 

Yuda snorted at her in disdain and promptly turned around to make his way back to his lord stiffly.

 

Desota rolled her eyes when he glared at them soon as he took his place at Yomi's left, “Can't he take a joke?”

 

“Eh, he's a stiff board. What'cha gonna do?” Tsuya shrugged, “Now get out there and hold off until I get back, kay?” She shoved Desota to the covered stage and started to part the curtains just as Desota sat down.

 

`You didn't have to push me…' Desota thought mildly as she glanced out of the stage area to her audience, `wow! Didn't realize the table was set so close!'

 

She could practically see everyone's eye color they was so close! She scanned over them quickly just out of reflex. She saw her `brother' ignoring her while he conversed with Lord Yomi. His mate smiled warmly up at her when the cat noticed the curtains parting. Next to her was a younger fox in his late teens probably, with bright golden blond hair in a spiked fashion similar to Hiei's but his looked more like a rooster's crown. Beside him was the smirking rusty red head with those haunting silver eyes. His hair wasn't up in a topknot anymore; instead he let his lower back length hair cascade down his back freely. She could tell what he was thinking by the look in his eye, the damn pervert…. She stubbornly continued her quick look over only to spot another familiar red head next to the pervert; Kurama.

 

`Easy girl, fluttering butterflies wouldn't be a wise decision to allow right now.' She inwardly groaned. Just her luck to have her stomach flutter at the mere sight of him to add on to her already hassling stomach problems. She absently noticed the small form of Kyo on the floor at the end of the table with a dog dish in front of him as if that were his plate. She smiled at seeing the little guy again.

 

Catching a meaningful glance Yuda sent her, Desota tore her eyes away from the green eyed red head to concentrate on the magnificently crafted ones in front of her. Taking a calming breath, she let her hands flutter over keys softly as she started to play a song she'd heard from somewhere. She knew not the name, nor where she heard of it, but it was firmly implanted into her mind so she let her hands interpret the sounds she could hear in her head as she played by ear.

 

It was calm and soothing. She knew it would be the kind of song Yomi would appreciate during an evening dinner. A small `pop' behind her told her that Tsuya had returned through her teleportation power. A small vile of the pain suppressant `pop'ed next to her on the Piano top. She looked over her shoulder and mouthed `thank you' to her friend who shook her head with a smile and waved the formality off. Desota turned back to what she was doing and realized that she had no way to get the vile down her throat until after this song… which was a long one.

 

`Damn it! Time to improvise,' she thought.

 

 

Yomi and the others cringed when a sharp note was accidentally pressed in the beautiful symphony almost crashing the peaceful musical haze. A curious look in her direction and Desota sweat dropped as she tried to hide the fact that she was adjusting to playing one handed.

 

“Finger cramp?” she excused.

 

`Oh yeah,' Nar thought to her mate through their link, `she's defiantly related to you in someway with how badly her excuses work…,'

 

“My dear, could you ever so kindly pass the salt? I find the salmon lacking in that tang I like to have in my fish dishes.” Joey bathed his tone with politeness.

 

Nar suspiciously requested the salt from Toya to be passed up to her and then handed it over to Joey, who `fumbled' his fingers as he went to take it from her and caused salt to spill over her entire plate and ruined her dinner.

 

She turned a very annoyed glare at him and he just gave her a `concerned look' and started wiping off the salt that got on her lap, sending jolts of his power to her and making her shiver as pay back. With a growl of warning, the Kitsune lord quickly averted his attentions to getting her another plate.

 

Desota managed to some how dry swallow the medicine tablet and continued on playing her gentle melodies while the others dined in silence as they listened. Only a whisper here and there was said if necessary.

 

When Yomi finished his meal he slightly turned to address Desota on the stage when she had also finished a peace, “That'll do for the night, hanyou. Resume your post in my court while the presentation proceeds.”

 

Tsuya and Desota blinked in surprise. `Resume her… position?' he said?

 

Soon as the curtain closed, Tsuya and Desota shared a confused look.

 

“Isn't my position here??” Desota whispered.

 

“I don't think so… since you are his side of the trade with Kurama, I suppose he means at his side just by the throne on you knees formally. That's what I've heard of happening in something like this…” Tsuya shrugged.

 

“You can't be serious…” Desota whined quietly, “I feel like taking a poo and he wants me to crouch down while I'm pregnant?!”

 

“I'll help you sit down so you don't harm Jr. here.” Tsuya patted Desota's stomach fondly. She as also looking forward to seeing a baby.

 

Knowing that now wasn't a good time for arguments, Desota and Tsuya made their way to the throne across the large room. Tsuya in front of the two as they walked in a traditional line with the leash connecting them slackly between.

 

Desota could feel Kurama's as well as many others eyes on her as she passed the army platoon-like assembled group of demons Kurama himself had put together and trained. Hakkuto was among them. She could feel the extremely high levels of energy radiate off the young demons as she and Tsuya passed. It made her shudder just from the vibes! She missed her own energy, having not felt her own yoki since the suppressant collar was put about her neck. She wandered if she was even that strong?

 

Standing patiently at Yomi's feet on the steps to the thrown, Desota waited for Yomi to give her permission to sit. He inclined his head to her and with the help of Tsuya; she sat down formally with her legs tucked under her and hands in her lap. Her eyes down cast in a show of lower status than the other demons.

 

Yuda arched an out grown, graying haired eye brow at her show of submissive status while Shachi grunted maliciously crude at her flank where he stood by the throne of Yomi.

 

Yuda took the silence as his cue to measure the powers off these new 8 fighters Kurama had promised. He held in his had the evaluator portable device he and his men had developed to measure a demons yoki to each demon individually. First up was Jin the Irish wind demon who stood still as his aura flared brilliantly around him like his comrades.

 

The digits on the evaluator rolled higher and higher up a moment until they `dinged' their estimation, “9,600” Yuda read off mildly impressed. So the human avatar had managed to find one good one….

 

He moved on to the next fighter, Chou. Once again, the numbers rolled on up and dinged when they had their evaluation, “9,650??”

 

Yuda quickly looked over the others to find that all warriors were exceptionally high rated! None of them were under 9,600 power!

 

“Amazing!” the elder Yoki gasped, “8 fighters with power level all exceeding 9,500 power!” the room filled with gasps of surprise and mummers from the other members of the court.

 

Ryoga's ear twitched nervously as the powerful auras of the newly trained demons lapped at his own confided space near his own lord. His instinctual habit like all other demons was to flare up his own in retaliation, but Joey shook his head no and stopped the younger Kitsune from revealing his own power worth.

 

Jaden seemed amused as he kept the other man vying for his intendeds' attentions through all this. Kurama seemed to stay calm and collected as if this was a library convention or something even though Jaden knew that the Kitsune avatar had to be puffing up with pride!

 

“Kurama, what kind of methods have you been using to get such high levels in such short amounts of time??” Yuda turned to the mastermind behind this shocking upbringing. Kurama stood off to the side at the foot of the throne steps courteously. Kyo kind of killed the noble look the Kitsune sported while he sat much like a miniature dog at his feet barely restraining the urge to charge up to Desota's arms. His little tail even wagged behind him every now and then.

 

“Just the usual good diet and healthy exercise. Nothing special.” The Kitsune smirked just barely.

 

“What was that?” Toya gritted out, “How funny of you to suggest it so lightly, Kurama.”

 

“Yea, why don't you tell `em how we were locked in that cave for those months with all dem snakes and things, eh?” Jin snorted.

 

“Or how we were forced to crumble those mountains with our bear hands and then rebuild them like they were with out using any hands?” Renku snided.

 

“And walking on those high wires,” Chou added dully.

 

“Balancing on spikes” Shishiwakumaru's eye twitched.

 

“AGH! The HAG didn't let me shower for MONTHS!” Suzuki whined dramatically.

 

“I had to hold off holy powers with my energy for 5 weeks at time with 3 day breaks of it.” Hakkuto snorted softly.

 

“Hai, Hai, Kia shinna morry dono” Kyo sighed in agreement to show he too was tired with they way they'd all trained harshly, only to have Kurama refer to it so lightly.

 

Yuda and the other members of the court were shocked. They could only stare in amazement.

 

“Well done, Kurama. I'm very impressed as are the members of my court.” Yomi praised, “I would like you to become my second in command if you'd be willing to accept?”

 

“With honor, m'lord” Kurama bowed.

 

“WHAT?!” Shachi barked in outrage making Desota flinch from being in front of him, “My Lord, PLEASE reconsider! You can't let a human take over military status, it's a disaster! My army is plenty big enough to destroy anything we come across!”

“Yes, Shachi, your army is big, but name me ONE soldier that even comes close to the power status these 7 right here have!” Yuda rebuked snappily.

 

Shachi snarled at the smaller goblin like demon.

“Just because you have more men doesn't mean your army is any stronger than an army of human world ANTS! We don't need numbers over time, we need strength and Kurama has just shown that to us in a short amount of time in what you couldn't do in a period of hundreds of YEARS!” Yuda continued his assault, putting the hot tempered water demon in his place, “These are dark times approaching us and we don't need foolishly thought out battle plans that will end our country before Mukuro or Raizen even think to attack!”

 

“Yuda, that's enough.” Yomi cut the elder demon from rambling, “Shachi, why don't you go cool off for a while and retire to your office to clear it out.” Yomi suggested. Though it was more a light way to say `get the hell out'.

 

Shachi snarled viciously, but kept his anger barely under control as the demon lord stood up, “I trust you'll fit in just fine here Kurama. Retire your troops to your quarters for the night and treat yourselves to our kitchens finest sake. It is my small reward for your passion of our country.” And with that Yomi dismissed his court to head off to his own corridors for the night.

 

“Well, I must say that was an amusing presentation.” Joey stretched as he stood up and approached Kurama for the first time. He silently looked over the father of his soon to be nephew, but kept his wander tightly hidden, “Congratulations Mr. Kurama. I'm sure that you'll do very well under Yomi's wing. Your leadership is most impressive.”

 

“Thank you, Lord Joseph.” Kurama bowed respectfully, noticing the Kitsune lords quick size up of him and the way Kyo was watching him with recognition, “I shall do all I can to please my lord and country.”

 

//this is NOT our country!// Yoko protested.

 

“I'm sure you will.” Joey nodded and bent down to ruffle Kyo's forelock good naturedly, “Hey lil' guy” Kyo still stared up at him as if in disbelief as the fox lord straightened up and nodded a greeting to the other demons.

 

“I'm glad to have met you, but now I think my crew and I need to split. Chow.” He waved as he left the room with his small `crew' with him. Kurama and the others watched him as he left; taking in the odd way he dressed and acted. He was more of a club hopper than a demon lord… a club hopper with a mixed pop language.

 

“That was Lord Joseph?” Jin asked.

 

“Yes, so it seems” Shishiwakumaru said distantly.

 

“Doesn't seem like much. He probably just got his position from `Daddies' death somewhat like Yusuke'll probably end up.”

 

 

“Don't be fooled” Hakkuto warned, “He may not take his position seriously all the time, but Joseph took over his scattered lands when his father died forcefully. Even with out revealing his true power that seems to always avoid the evaluation trackers here in Yomi's keep. That's why he's revered as the 4th king of demon realm.” Hakkuto glanced sideways toward their leader suspiciously, “Oddly though that he's also the half brother to the young hanyou we seem so obsessed to regain.”

 

“'E's Kurama's Shelia's big bro?!” Chou's eyes widened into saucers.

 

“Well we didn't see that one coming.” Toya admitted.

 

“Yara, yara” Kyo sighed with a sweat drop.

 

They all looked up to catch sight of the young female only to see her and the lemur demoness already off the throne and rushing off out of the room quickly. Desota seemed hunched over a bit.

 

Kurama immediately knew something wasn't right. The two of them were rushing too awkwardly and too fast to just be trying to get out. And with Desota clutching her stomach and mewling as if in…. pain?

 

//SHE'S IN PAIN AND YOU'RE SITTING HERE?! GET YOUR ASS MOVING BEFORE I DO IT FOR US!!// Yoko snapped.

 

Hakkuto noticed it too and was on Kurama's heals soon as the fox stride after the two rushing females. Kurama himself was following a scrambling Kyo as the little zhorse took off soon as he saw Kurama was going to follow her anyways.

 

“Kurama… I think you should know,” Hakkuto started to say as he tried to keep up with the fox's strides.

 

“Wait up!” Renku called as he and the others tagged behind curiously.

 

“I think it can wait until after this, Hakkuto.” Kurama said with a hint that he wasn't going to pay attention if it didn't concern the fleeing, in pain hanyou they were more or less walking very fast after while she and the lemur demoness were practically jogging back to a room.

 

“But it's about Dessy!” Hakkuto insisted as they came down a hallway that probably led to the hanyou's room since the only door down there was a bed room door.

 

“She's---,”

 

Kurama's hand grabbed the door handle and froze in place as an ear splitting scream of agony cried out in pain and labored breaths came from the room.

 

“OH MY GAWD!! YOUR WATER JUST BROKE!” another female voice yelped in panic through the door.

 

Of the 8 males outside of the closed door, only 7 were left conscious soon as they knew that the hanyou was indeed in labor.

 

“Maute??!” Kyo blinked up at Kurama confused and frantically panicked.