-Come on, Red!- Youko whined. _When's the last time I asked you to do something for me?-

'This morning.' Kurama replied.

-That was different!-

Not really, fox. And if you could be bothered to pay attention, the detective is talking to you.

Kurama looked up. "Yes, Yusuke?"

Our favorite punk from Sarayashiki smirked. "Where the hell'd ya go, Kurama?" he asked.

"Ah, Youko was…well, he was being himself."

-What's that supposed to mean?-

Exactly what it sounds like, fox.

Yusuke was still talking. "Oh, well, what do you know about this mission the toddler sent us on?"

"Mission?" Kurama asked.

-Wait, we're on a mission? Since when?-

If you'd pay attention…

"Wow, you really were out of it." Yusuke commented. "The baby said we're looking for some 'unauthorized time portal'. He wants us to close it before anyone falls in or something."

"And did he tell us where this portal is?" Kurama asked.

"What do you think? Of course he didn't."

-Of course. Obviously.-

Typical.

There was silence for a moment, both in the group, and in poor Kurama's head. Then…

-Pleeeease, Red?-

***~~~***

Finally, though, they located the portal. It was in a shrine, up what seemed an evil, unholy number of stairs.

Oh, the irony.

They were only about halfway up said stairs, when they felt it.

Demonic energy.

The detectives flew up the remaining steps, to be confronted by an…evil…

Cat?

Yes, I said cat.

A tiny kitten with two tails sat on top of the steps, watching them.

"That little thing has that much power?" Kuwabara said in astonishment. "Well, I guess you can never tell. I mean, look at short-stuff over there."

Hiei glowered at him, but before blood could be spilled, a feminine voice called, "Kirara, where are you?"

The cat turned, and jumped into the arms of a young, ningen woman.

Not just any ningen woman, either.

The ningen woman Youko had been fantasizing about, since they'd seen her in the Makai.

The woman looked at them. "Oh, hello. Welcome to Sunset Shrine. Are you here for anything specific, or-" Her eyes narrowed at Kurama. "Hmmm. What are you doing here, kitsune-san?"

Yusuke looked between the girl and Kurama in curious bewilderment.

Kuwabara was too enchanted by the cat- demon cat, yes, but still feline- to care, or notice.

Hiei was just being his wonderful, and charming self, and glaring at most everyone.

"How do you know Kurama?" Yusuke finally asked.

"Kurama?" the girl repeated. "Oh, Youko Kurama. Sessho did say that was your name."

Yusuke opened his mouth to demand answers, but suddenly…

"Oi, wench!" a male voice called. "Are you coming or not? Souta's soccer game is in- Now! Shit, we're late!"

A young man sprinted around the corner. He had white hair, golden eyes, and a bandana wrapped around his head. He stopped suddenly upon seeing the detectives.

"Kagome, who are they? Two of 'em are ningen, but the others…no way, no how." he said suspiciously.

"Alright, that's it." Yusuke said, tired of being confused. "You two are coming with us."

The other boy bristled, but Kagome simply smiled.

"Lead the way."

***~~~***

Soon enough, all four detectives, plus the two people from the shrine, were in Koenma's office.

"Did you close the time portal?" the tiny ruler asked, without looking up.

"Time portal? You sent them to close the well?!" Kagome said.

Koenma's head shot up. "Kagome-sama?!" He whirled on his detectives. "You brought her here?"

"Who is she, squirt?" Yusuke asked, as Kagome ranted.

"You little twerp! The stupid well's been sealed for an entire year! Why couldn't you have done this, oh, I don't know, maybe four years ago, before I fell down the blasted thing?!"

"Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, meet Kagome Higurashi, the miko who created the barrier." Koenma said weakly.

"Impossible." Hiei snorted. "The barrier was created nearly five hundred years ago."

The bandana-headed boy rolled his eyes. "What part of time portal didn't you understand?"

Hiei growled at him.

"InuYasha, be nice." Kagome reprimanded him.

-Go say hi, Red.-

'What are you up to?-

-I'm just being polite. Don't they teach you kits that nowadays?-

Sighing in resignation, Kurama approached the miko. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Kagome-san." he said. "I am Shuiichi Minamino. My friends call me Kurama." He raised her hand to his lips.

She frowned at him. "Stop that."

Kurama was confused, a novel experience. "Stop what?"

Perhaps you should use your skills to seduce someone less likely to purify you if you anger her, fox.

'Youko, what did you do?'

-Nothing!-

'Youko…"

-Fine! I was trying a kitsune Seduction on her.-

'Youko!'

-Stop saying my name! It's annoying, Red.-

Kurama shook his head. "My deepest apologies, Kagome-san. It seems Youko has become rather…enamored with you."

-'Enamored'? Come on, Red, say it like it is. I want to screw her senseless. Well, actually, me being in you, I want you to screw her senseless.-

Kurama turned bright crimson.

Kagome retrieved her hand from him. "Oh, that's quite alright. I raised a kitsune kit once. You wouldn't believe the number of times he tried that, to convince me to make his bedtime later. I'm used to it. But I'd be careful about trying that around my fiancé. He's rather…possessive."

InuYasha snickered. "The great and powerful Ice Cube-sama, possessive? I'd have never guessed."

"InuYasha…" Kagome said sweetly. The boy paled.

"SIT!"

The Spirit Detectives looked on in amused awe, as the beads around his neck glowed, and InuYasha promptly made friends with the floor.

Do you think we could get one for the dimwit?

'Hiei!'

-It's so nice to hear you yell at someone else for a change, Red.-

Kagome turned her attention to Koenma. "We're done here. Send us home, tiny tot." she ordered.

Koenma fell all over himself to obey. "B-B-Bo-BOTON!"

The cheery, blue-haired reaper appeared in the office. "Yes, Koenma-sama?"

"Take Kagome-sama, and InuYasha-sama back to Sunset Shrine."

"Right away, sir." Boton opened a portal. "Right this way, InuYasha-sama, Kagome-sama."

Dead silence reigned in Koenma's office, after they left.

That is, until Yusuke started laughing. "T-Tiny…tot?!?"

-Red, I want her.-

'You can't get everything you want, Youko, it's bad for you.'

I want one of those necklaces…

-You can't get everything you want, short-stuff, it's bad for you. Apparently.-

'Youko, stop mocking me.'

-Never!-

Kurama sighed in exasperation, as Youko cackled maniacally.

***~~~***

Message from Goth Lolita!

This is the sequel to 'If Only For the Mating Mark'. Mucho thanks to Shadow Kitsune11 for the idea.

Also, at some point in the story, I mentioned 'kitsune Seduction'. I took that idea from sessha-chan's fic series, The Barrier Trilogy , which I, personally, think is awesome.

Thanks for reading everybody! And remember to review!