Author's Notes:
10:42 pm, EST, May 1st, 2006.
I LIVE. Sorry it took five months to get this chapter up. My life as been hellish for the past few months. :c And if I were to eexplain my life story of what had happened... we'd be here all night. But I have come through and provided this chapter. Love it forever and ever.
Disclaimer: I own none of the lyrics/charactors, etc.
A muffled sneeze.
Hiei and Kurama froze.
"Hn." Eyes narrowing, Hiei scanned the room, searching for the source.
"The Potter kid. He's awake."
"Shit." Kurama muttered, his sharp emerald gaze resting on the four poster bed that was Harry's.
'Fox, he's faking sleep. I felt a burst of magic ki earlier, but didn't think much of it…That's okay. I've got a plan to tell if he really is asleep or not, Kurama replied, cheerfully. He told Hiei about it, being very specific about what he wanted to do.
"Che."
"Ron! Don't jump!" Kurama shouted.
"Leave me alone! I'll do what I want!" Harry heard Ron's voice, slightly deeper and gruff, but Ron all the same. He sat up quickly, heart pounding. What the hell?
"Ron, just calm down."
Panicked, Harry threw open the bed curtains. "RO-mrphm!"
A cold hand clamped down on his mouth, cutting him off.
"Sorry to have to mess around with your kindness, Harry-kun." Kurama said, apologetically. "But we weren't sure if you were awake or not…" He unhanded the boy.
"Where's Ron?" Harry's light green eyes darted around the room, searching for his carrot –top friend.
"Safe and sound asleep in his bed, I assure you." Kurama gestured towards the Weasley's bed.
"Then wha-?"
"Hiei-san is excellent with voice impressions." The fox explained. Hiei only grunted.
But what Harry heard was 'Mister Flying Shadow is excellent with voice impressions.'
"Who the fuck are you people?" Harry shouted. "Who is 'Flying Shadow? Are you guys working for Voldemort?" Harry held his wand out, threateningly.
The action didn't faze the two demons.
" 'Flying…?'" Kurama mumbled.
Hiei's eyes narrowed. "Translator charm, I think."
"Ah, I see. Harry, please do tell me everything you heard. Translation charms have a nasty habit of switching words up. Just like the English language, Japanese has multiple meanings. Translation charms also translate names, so you would have caught some of that as well. His," Kurama indicated Hiei. "His name translates to 'flying shadow.' Just like yours translates to 'ruler of the home' or 'army ruler.'" Kurama chuckled.
"Tell me what you were talking about, first." Harry replied defiantly. Kurama twitched slightly.
Smart boy. If he finds out what we were talking about first, he'd be know whether to answer truthfully or not… Someone's stolen our plan… Youko mumbled. Kurama gave a mental nod.
"Well, we were talking about Hiei's sister getting married to someone Hiei doesn't particularly care for."
"Che. I've saved the idiot's ass more times than one can count. The bastard just needs to stay away from my sister."
"Then why was it so important to make sure whether I was awake or not?" Harry demanded, never lowering his wand.
Score for the ningen. Youko muttered.
"Because of any misunderstandings that could have occurred. Japanese is a tricky language, and translation charms don't even begin to cover it. Half of what you heard was names of people anyway."
Harry didn't take the hook.
"What 'mission' are you on then? And how do you get electronics to work at Hogwarts?"
"Mission?" Kurama feigned ignorance. "I guess our 'mission' would be to learn Western magic, since there are very few in our country who even know of it, much less practice it. And we charmed them. But I really wish they remembered about timezones…"
"Would you be willing to say the same under Veritaserum? And don't lie, or I'll hex you." Harry snarled, clutching his wand tighter. Hiei raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything.
"Of coarse. We can go to Snape's office now and pick some up, since you seem to be convinced that Hiei and I are Death Eaters." Kurama paused for a moment, waiting for Harry's answer. Hiei finally spoke.
"Do you think we'd be in this house if we were evil? There is NO way to hide any of your mind from that god-forsaken hat that Dumbledore –sensei" The word was strained." Loves so much."
Yusuke looked up groggily, shook a certain blue puffball from his head, and choked back a laugh when he heard these words. Deciding he wasn't missing anything, he threw himself back down and snored on.
Harry stared at them for a moment, then slumped back. Shaking his head, he sighed.
"Sorry. I guess we're all paranoid with the whole deal with Voldemort. No hard feelings, but…"
"If the time ever presents itself, we'll swallow a whole vile of Veritaserum, and you can question to your heart's content. Happy now?"
Harry didn't seem to notice the flower by Kurama's bedside, sponatniously bloom, scattering the pollen...
The boy blinked sleepily. "Yeah. I've got to go back to bed now. We've got something tomorrow…"
"Potions. First thing."
Harry winced. "Ick.'Night." He turned in, leaving Hiei and Kurama standing there.
'He's onto us. Even ningen aren't THAT stupid.' Hiei muttered telepathically to Kurama.
'I know. But remember. Children, ningen or youkai, can be manipulated easily if inexperienced.' Kurama ran a hand through his hair before laying down. 'Gah. Tangles.'
Hiei snorted. 'Vain fox'
'Shut up, and get some sleep.'
McGonagall swept down the stairs at dawn. On her way out the Gryffindor Common room door, she paused by the bulletin board and whisked her wand at it. A crisp new parchment sign stood out boldly against the other notes on it, and she strolled out the door to make her morning rounds…
HALLOWEEN TALENT SHOW
Serious applicants only. Try-outs will be
6:00 PM, tonight. Contact your Head of House.
Entrance Fee is 3 Galleons.
Talent show will take place in two days, on October 31st, starting at 7:00 pm.
Yusuke stood in front of the notice, and grinned widely.
"Oi, HIEI! Look at this!"
"Hn. Go away, Defective Detective."
"Nope. I don't want Lord Toddler to dock my pay anymore than he has. And you know he's making us help you… bastard…"
"What song are you going to sing, Hiei? We've narrowed it down to Green Day, so which of their songs do you like best?" Kurama teased.
Hiei stared at him for a moment, uninterested, before…
"Dominated Love Slave."
Kurama turned an interesting shade of green, and Yusuke choked back laughter unsuccessfully. One of Hiei's eyebrows rose up under his headband, and for a moment, said nothing.
"Tell me, idiots, do you honestly believe me to lower myself so much as to sing THAT to a bunch of teenaged ningen? They don't need anymore boners than what they already have, the hormonal weaklings… Do you think me so pathetic?"
"No. But…"
"Detective…" Hiei growled warningly.
"Fine. Lets just get to breakfast. I'm hungry."
"Yusuke, is food the only thing you think about?"
"Of coarse it isn't, Fox. He thinks about that female of his as well…"
"Hiei! Leave my mind alone!"
"Then put up your mental shields, stupid."
-At breakfast, 3 minutes later-
Harry sat several chairs down from the Reikai Tantei, whispering quietly to Hermione and Ron. Ron kept shooting them spiteful and suspicious glances every few seconds, and Hermione was listening intently to Harry.
The three demons didn't need to have extremely acute hearing to know what they were talking about.
A snow-white owl with a light blue tear gem around its neck fluttered down to Hiei with the morning post, and landed in his hair. Shooing it away, because it would look really bad if it suddenly spontaneously combusted, Hiei retrieved the letter from its leg.
He scanned over the letter, and dropped it with a loud, "KUSO."
Immediately all eyes within hearing range turned to him. He glared daggers and told them just where to go. Kurama reached over and read the letter twice before letting out a whistle.
"Wow. You're fucked either way, aren't you?"
"Shut the hell up, Youko."
"Make me, Sparky." Youko's deep voice snapped from the redhead's mouth.
"Sorry about that." Kurama apologized. "Full moon. Halloween night. Thank Inari, British ningen have that weird 'dressing up for candy' thing… But I wonder… Do they do the same rituals to 'ward off evil?" Kurama frowned.
"Ooo! Foxy disguise?" Yusuke said, snickering. "Hey! What's the letter say any how?"
"See for yourself, My Lord."
"Okay then, Sparky." Yusuke grabbed the letter and read it out loud in his native tongue.
"-Dear Hiei,
Since you're the only one who knows my brother the best, I was hoping if you could do me a favor. Kazuma and I are becoming mated, or married, by human customs. And it is within human customs to be blessed by one's family. I want to thank you for having your sources looking for my brother while you're over in the wizarding world. But I would also like you to bless my marriage with Kazuma, if it isn't too much to ask. I'm sorry to bother you with such a petty thing, but Genaki said that she would only bless us if you did as well. I was going to ask you anyway, but Kazuma said Genkai would be a better choice. Please, Hiei-san. I was also wondering if you had found out any more information about my brother, as well as how you, Yusuke-san and Kurama-san where faring.
Sincerely, Yukina of the Koorime.-"
Yusuke ended the letter, laughing uncontrollably.
"Well… I suppose you could kill Kuwabara, and make it look like an accident…"
"Easily…"
"But, he can't do that. Because it would make Yukina sad. Just as sad as if he didn't agree to the marriage. And making Yukina sad is a big no-no in Hiei's book." Kurama chuckled pointedly.
"Not to mention that killing the dolt would force me to drag his ass to Koenma…" Yusuke muttered, unamused. "And Kami-sama knows I don't want to try that…"
"…Damned fox and his damned observance…"
"You know I'm right."
"Shut up before you end up with another hole in your damned stomach."
Yusuke yawned and scratched lazily at the back of his neck as he looked around the rebuilt dungeon. That idiotic professor was droning on about something of which they were supposed to be taking notes on at the front of the class. His eyes broadly swept across the room, landing on the empty seat belonging to Harry Potter.
Brat. Must be talking to the old guy.
Out of boredom, Yusuke sketched a few pictures of the left side of his parchment, not paying attention until…
"Mr. Urameshi. Tell me. Why don't you want to mix any ingredients made of pure potassium directly into water?" Snape's voice drawled out coldly, confident that he would be soon assigning another detention to Yusuke's already extended schedule.
Yusuke blinked. Doumo arigato for the chemistry lessons, Granny Hag.
"Well, unless you'd like third degree burns, or just a general 'BOOM'… Heh. Not unlike what had happened previously to this place…"
Snape's lips curled into a sneer. "Are you smart-mouthing me, Mr. Urameshi?"
"No. Just answerin' your question."
"Well then, since it seems that you have over ranked Ms. Granger and Mr. Minamino as the class know-it-alls." Kurama and Hermione's eyebrows rose at this. "Tell me. What is the meaning of life?"
Kurama bit back a chortle. The professor was asking the wrong person that question. What answer could you honestly expect from someone who had died about three times, their life threatened every other day, and who killed daily? A very interesting one, that's for sure…
"69." Yusuke didn't even look up.
"What?" The potion master's forehead wrinkled faintly as his eyes glittered dangerously, narrowing slightly.
"Purple." Yusuke barked again, rolling his eyes.
"Explain, Urameshi."
"Goat."
"Stop that nonsense now, before I deduct points." Snape growled, teeth clenched.
"Testicles."
Giggles erupted in the room, and was almost immediately silenced by the sweeping glare Snape gave.
"20 points from Gryffindor for disruptive behavior!"
The raven haired young man yawed and raised an eyebrow. "You can't do that. I answered your question."
The greasy haired man bared his teeth. "Elaborate."
"You asked me a question that cannot be proven, therefore it is an opinionated question. Any answer I would have given would have been correct. So, I say that the meaning of life is sixty-nine purple goat testicles."
The class roared with laughter.
"SILENCE! Urameshi, I want to see you after class. 15 points from Gryffindor, and three feet of parchment on the chemistry of potions!"
"Wow. That was highly intelligent on Yusuke's part." Hiei muttered sarcastically as he and Kurama stood in front of the Transfiguration room with their musical equipment. Snape had given Yusuke detention until six, and they were waiting for him impatiently.
"Hey guys." Yusuke jogged over to where they were standing. "You ready?"
"Been ready, stupid. Let's just get this over with…"
"Aww. Hiei is excited." Yusuke cooed. "Isn't he so cute? I just wanna pinch those little-"
WHAM.
"Fuck! Hiei, you bastard!"
"I'm so glad there was a pause after that first word you said, Yusuke." Kurama said, sweat dropping.
"Well… We're in…" So came the intelligent comment from a certain Tantei with a blue phoenix on his head.
"Really, Detective? I hadn't noticed."
"Shut up."
"Okay. Now that that's been cleared… Hiei, Yusuke, I have an idea that'll make it so our problems with the Golden Trio will cease slightly. And the werewolf"
"Explain, Fox."
The three were in the Forbidden Forest, having finished their detentions and needing to work off some energy.
"Well… Subliminal messages are a wondrous thing."
'Pay attention to the second. You may learn something. The Wolf may recognise part of it.'
"What do you think it means, Ron?"
"Dunno. An anonymous note left at random? Honestly, I think it was one of the exchange students."
"How am I going to die next Tuesday?" Harry asked, not looking up from his Divination parchment.
"Wha-? Oh. Umm… Death by tripping into a puddle of gasoline and brushing up against a Chinese Fireball."
"Thank you. Now then, let's just ask Hermione. And we need to hurry. The Halloween talent show ball thing is tomorrow."
Every Halloween in Japan, special precautions are made by miko, to ward off and subdue demons and spirits. It ensures that the youkai in the Human Realm will calm for a few weeks, before carrying on their business. However, any demon not subdued with ritualistic spells during this time period gains far more power than its body can accept, which can cause them to go mad trying to release this excess energy, through any means necessary. The foreign energy also creates a chemical imbalance in the youkai's body, to signal mating season. With practice, very few can barely control it, and none can ever fully control the power-surge…
Kurama twitched violently. The power flooding through his veins was just… crushing as it consumed his entire body. His hair was lined with silver, and his irises gold. It was a full moon, and the Youko wanted out.
"Grahhh!" Yusuke shouted, blue streaks dimly showing up on his pale face, and his hair lengthened. "What the hell! I… My power…"
Hiei's head band and arm glowed slightly. "We need to let some of this power out. We're too far away from your section of Ningenkai. Our excess energy can't be sapped where we are now." His skin flickered green.
"Hiei's right." Kurama sighed. "We'll have to tough it out until we can get out of the castle. Unfortunately, Koenma didn't seem to anticipate the culture differences… I can construct a few harmless energy-harnessing wards, but they'll only last for two hours, tops."
"Why the hell haven't we noticed this change before!" The detective shouted indignantly.
"You would have in the Makai. This is sort of a rutting season as well."
"...Rutting...?"
"Yusuke... Remember that discussion we had regarding Youko's heat?"
A blink. "You're kidding me."
Three days earlier.
"Are you sure this will work, Dumbledore?" Lupin regarding the silver haired man that stood before him with contempt. He held a small vile in his hand that was filled with a foul-smelling blue liquid.
"Yes, yes, my dear boy. The healers at Mungo's said it was quite effective. Why don't you try it out in your private rooms the night of the full moon. If you are able to control yourself, feel free to come down to the Great hall and join the festivities."
"As you wish, Headmaster. Just two mouthfuls, correct?"
"Correct. And your body will be able to contain your wolf side until sunrise of the following morning that you take the potion, provided that you take it two hours before the Dinner bell charms."
"Thank you, Albus."
"It isn't a problem, Remus. Not a problem at all."
Loud noise. Lights. Music. On the newly formed stage in the Great Hall, two fourth years, a blonde-haired boy, and a slightly curly dark-haired girl demonstrated their abilities to do the exact opposite of the music to the Electric Slide, thus throwing off the thirteen other students who were attempting to correctly do it in perfect synch. In addition to jumping backwards, they head-banged, square danced, and belted out at random, verses of Bad Religion's 'Social Suicide.'
All in all, the two of them had a blast.
"Thank you, to the Huffelpuff's performance of the muggle Electric Slide. And, special thanks to Slytherin's Ashe and Ashley who kindly joined them with their own odd… performance." Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Next, we have the 'Reikai Tantei,' band singing two songs of their choice."
There was a slow clapping heard over the chatter of the student body. Grumbling, Hiei, clad in his normal black cloak and scarf, climbed on stage with an electric guitar in hand. Yusuke, in a plain white T-shirt and jeans with the electric bass, and finally, Kurama took the stage in a stunning black Chinese-styled fighting uniform, with a dark blue tunic and detailed roses embroidered up his side. All three of them had paper-thin wristbands on, with matching kanji. The power wards.
Sitting down at the drums, the fox took a deep breath. Youko was straining for release in his mind, although the silver-haired spirit fought to bear with the power…
"Ready, Hiei?"
"As long as I get paid heavily, baka Fox."
"Lighten up, Hiei. The Toddler's going to pay big time for this. Now, sing for your fans!" Yusuke chuckled dryly.
"You're next, Bastard Half-breed... Start the god-damned song already!"
Yusuke struck the chords with skill he'd never had as a teenager. And Hiei began, his deep voice flowing over the silencing crowd.
"I walk a lonely road
The only one I that have ever knownDon't know were it goes
But its home to me and I walk alone…"The audience was totally quiet now, listening intently on the music that flowed intently from the stage. In between beats, Kurama shook a few strands of hair out of his eyes.
"I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of broken dreams
Where the city sleeps
And I'm the only one and I walk alone…"
Hiei took a breath.
"I walk aloneI walk alone
I walk aloneI walk a...
My shadows the only one that-"
"WALKS BESIDE ME!" Kurama and Yusuke called in unison with Hiei
"My shallow hearts the-"
"ONLY THING THAT'S BEATING!"
"Sometimes I wish someone-"
"OUT THERE WILL FIND ME!"
"Till then I walk alone…"
Although Hiei's stamina was wonderful, his skin began to slowly show a sheen of sweat, from the energy spent and massive excess. Yusuke and Kurama both faced the same predicament.
"Ah-Ah Ah-Ah Ah-Ah Ahhh
Ah Ah-Ah Ah-Ah Ah-Ah
I'm walking down the lineThat divides me somewhere in my mind
On the border line of the edge
And were I walk alone…"
Hiei's voice picked up slightly as Yusuke strummed the chords.
"Read between the lines of what's
Fucked up and every things all right
Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive
And I walk alone."
He sighed slightly before he took a breath.
"I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk alone
I walk a...
My shadows the only one that-"
"WALKS BESIDE ME!"
"My shallow hearts the-"
"ONLY THING THAT'S BEATING!"
"Sometimes I wish someone-"
"OUT THERE WILL FIND ME!"
"Till then I walk alone…"
When he really thought about it, the song described his life. He'd always been a loner, even when he was with the thieves. The thought never made him pause.
"Ah-Ah Ah-Ah Ah-Ah Ahhh
Ah Ah-Ah Ah-Ah
I walk alone
I walk a..."
They took a thirty second pause to beat the bass and drums to the proper tune. Hiei's voice calmed slightly as he sang the last verses.
"I walk this empty street
On the Boulevard of broken dreams
Were the city sleeps,
And I'm the only one and I walk a…
My shadows the only one that-"
"WALKS BESIDE ME!"
"My shallow hearts the-"
"ONLY THING THAT'S BEATING!"
"Sometimes I wish someone-"
"OUT THERE WILL FIND ME!"
"Till then I walk alone…"
The summed up the end of the song easily, the sound load enough to scarcely cover the roar of the clapping and shouting.
The three youkai downed the water bottles they were given, before they switched instruments and positions on the stage.
"Now that we have that over, there's no chance to end up in Rekai's jail house…"
"Time to let the fox deliver his message…" Hiei grumbled. "Damn it. This is stupid…"
"Just haul ass to the drums, Sparky."
"And now, ladies and gentlemen… Our next song…" Kurama took the main microphone. "Listen carefully now…" Kurama's icy gold-flecked emerald eyes bore into the spot that Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood, before flickering to Lupin's chair at the staff table.
"Wow, they are good, aren't they?" Ron exclaimed. "Even if they are evil."
"No one said they were evil, Ron. Mysterious, yes, but not evil."
"Lay off, Hermione. They're creepy. But yeah, they're awesome."
The three of them clapped and cheered as the Tantei finished their song. They found it hard to believe that what they had been told was true… Hiei COULD sing well.
"I can't hear what Minamino's saying! Damn it!" Harry shouted, straining his ears. He froze as he felt a chill creep over him when Minamino's eyes fell on him. He didn't even notice the noise of the crowd, he could hear the words clearly as if the red head was standing next to him…
"Listen carefully now…"
Harry was listening. He knew that whatever he was about to hear next would give him an answer to the three exchange student's mysteriousness. Whether he would understand the answer, was another story…
Meanwhile, at the staff table, a pair of blue eyes bore into the students on the stage. A serious frown too the place of a normally cheerful and carefree grin. Lupin's blood froze when he saw the feral look in the redhead's eyes. He knew that look… all too well, he knew that look…
Author's Notes:
Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Green Day. Yep. I've planned that song to be sung since I first started this fic. Mind you, this chapter didn't turn out the way I'd hoped it would...
But yeah. The next song will be unexpected. But it will make sense. Oh yes. And... something else that will amek you people mad at me. Or some of you, anyway...
Yes, the two morons doing the dancing this is what my friend and I planned on doing during our own school talent show. But unfortunatly, the electric slide got cancled... and she got pregnant...
ANYWAY.
Reveiw. I love hearing new ideas and such.
Oh, and all lyrics com from lyrics . com. I own nothing, yo.