GOOOOOOOOD MORNING!

...we are ignoring the fact that it's not morning.

I've returned! After procrastinating for half a year, I am ready to type and type and type til I can't type no more! WOOT!

"I want it."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Dai," came the reply. Dai's expression didn't change as they wandered through the expansive gardens.

"You have it. I need it. It certainly isn't of any use to you-,"

"No, but it is safe in my hands, rather than having it in Makai where who-knows-what could lay there hands on it." Koenma sighed briefly as he leant down to inspect a miniature tree. "And I mean that in the kindest of ways."

A woman stood not far from his side. She bent over slightly to rub the ear of the black Spirit Fox sitting faithfully at her feet. "It's been a hundred years since the last time something in my possesion was broken or taken from me. You know what my kind is like."

"That's…true," the teenaged demi-god agreed hesitantly. "But you have to understand I don't entirely trust you."

She frowned at him and cocked an eyebrow pointedly. "But you let me train your agents."

He pretended as though he couldn't hear her. The young woman brushed a fallen leaf from her hair as her eyes trailed across the huge gardens surrounding them. Flowers of every colour twined themselves around the gigantic white pillars that sprung here and there from the earth to hold up the enormous, feather-light canopy that stretched across them to serve as the only shelter. The fine fabric draped all the way to the springy emerald grass growing beneath their feet. Trees with berries and flowers of every colour sprung elegantly from the ground, while the grounds themselves were fortified by tall pine trees, blocking the garden from any outsider's view.

Dai looked down at her canine companion again, who returned the stare. "Fair enough." She agreed finally. "I'll agree to reasonable terms, if that's what you want."

"Terms?" Koenma replied incredulously. "You are willing to agree to terms? You must be desperate."

Dai folded her arms and fixed his with a serious stare. "I need this, Koenma-sama."

Koenma folded his hands behind his back, chewing his binkie thoughtfully. "I don't see why," he replied. "The trainees are doing well, your territories have been flourishing for the past few years even without his guidance and you – well, you're in perfect condition. My physicians see to that."

Her expression melted slightly to a gradual smile. Koenma studied her curiously as she stared back at him, filing her thoughts. Dai was a medium-sized, skinny, ghastly pale little thing with far too much hair on her head than she needed. The sheer pitch black colour of her hair and eyes created such a stark contrast that Koenma could recognise the youkai a mile away. She had four bold, acid green lines running across her face and neck aswell. The first line started just below the corner of her eye and only spanned to reach below the middle of the same eye; the second was level with her lips and stretched from her jawbone to very nearly meet the corner over her mouth; the third wasn't quite as visible, located right under her jaw and just barely touched her jugular; and the fourth – the shortest – was just about on the midline of her neck and disappeared behind her curtain of hair. She wore funny clothes for a youkai – a big, long white jacket that looked suspiciously like something from the Human world, with numerous doodles and drawings on it, the main one being a rather well-done dragon insignia winding across the right sleeve and onto the back. It was awkward on her figure; too long around the arms and not long enough down her skinny body.

"You're giving my coat that look again."

Koenma snapped out of his thoughts and fixed Dai's amused face with an affronted gaze. "What look?"

"The look that says 'You-Must-Have-Lost-a-Bet-to-Be-Wearing-That-Thing'." Her grin widened to reveal sharp canine teeth.

The demi-god shifted uncomfortably. "Well," he began in his defense. "It is rather – wait – you're changing the subject!"

Dai's grin vanished with purely innocent confusion. "Was I?"

Koenma's eyes narrowed into a scathing glare that could have boiled water. "How can anyone make serious conversation with you if you keep avoiding the subject?"

Like a switch, the smile was once again in place. "They don't." she wandered over to the oak tea table sitting outside of the canopy's shelter and in the full sun. She sat down comfortably and poured herself a cup of hot water before reaching towards another pitcher and filling a dish with cool water as the fox hopped up onto the chair next to her.

"So," she continued as Koenma sat down across from her, sprinkling some dry leaves into her hot water. "Can I have the elixir, or no?"

Koenma frowned. "But I don't understand why you need it, Dai, Kosuke isn't targeting you anymore…"

The teen's voice trailed off at Dai's expression. She stared into her cup of tea, held firmly in both hands. Her shoulders were relaxed but the expression on her face was preoccupied; serious.

"He's targeting my children," she murmured, sliding a finger slowly around the rim of her glass. "And alone against Kosuke…I can't fend him off much longer. If my mate was still alive, maybe there could have been a chance, but…" her voiled trailed into silence. Very abruptly Dai sat up, expression snapping back down to earth as she delicately set the cup down. "In any case, they would be safest in Ningenkai. He hasn't found a slip in the barrier as of yet, and they could be away from him for at least a decade or so."

Koenma sighed and rubbed his forehead. "When you put it that way…" he muttered irritably. Finally, he sighed. "Fine, fine. Just because you've been doing some good work with my agents these past few years. And I like your kids." He cast a glance over at the fox sitting with them. She wagged her tail. Koenma looked back at Dai. "You understand it might take over a week for me to get it to you, what with all the paperwork that comes with it, and then there's dealing with Father…" the teen shuddered involuntarily.

"You're a peach," Dai winked at him, smiling broadly. He rolled his eyes.

"Sure, fine. By the way. You might've noticed some of my people's Spirit Energies on your property-,"

"Taking care of tiny little demon pests," Dai cut in amusedly as she stood up. "Yes. I did."

Koenma nodded. "Well, I only thought that you might like some help keeping those demons in check around here-,"

"And a wonderful job they're doing. In fact, I just might have to thank them personally."

"Personally?" Koenma gave her an odd look as she wandered over to the large pine trees. "But when would you ever see-,"

Something suddenly came bursting through the trees, scattering needles on all directions and frightening a number of colourful birds from the perches. A tall, orange-haired somebody hit the ground with a bone-breaking force and skid on his back a few feet to stop at Dai's feet. Dai sipped her tea casually as she looked down at Kazuma Kuwabara.

"Good morning," she greeted with a Chesire cat smile.