Thursday, February 3, 2005

chapter 4
Cant talk long, madly typing a paper due in 2 hours..... heres chapter 4

The woods are silent, save for the occasional lone hoot of an owl, or early morning trill of a startled bird. The sky is the color of a used eraser, it's predawn lignite casting eerily shadows. Deep within the woods, a group of teens, shrouded in mist drink from a steaming canteen.

"....So, if she's killed, we could either be cursed with Conciseness...."

"Not a good thing!" Interrupts Red Wolf, slurping hot tea.

Shooting a discussed look at her partner, Black Fox continues "...Or have no chance of ever getting one." She shakes her head, sending her long black hair flying, "Obviously the second is preferable, but we can?t take the chance."

"Yes, I can see how that would be a problem. So what can I do to help?"

"You?re switching schools right? We'll set it up so you shadow her around school for the first day. Learn her schedule, and watch her."

"Sure, I can do that."

"Death......stupid...DEATH!" Natalie mutters under her breath, clearly annoyed by the turn of events.

Grinning, Red Pokes the renegade Death in the ribs, "You know, we wouldn't have to do this if you hadn't messed up. So actually it's your fault."

Leaning against the tree death protests "DEATH!" much to the amusement of her minion, who is otherwise absorbed in his new manga, 'death'.

Kurama sighs, glancing down at his watch, 'it's already 7:30, I have classes in a few minutes, I do wish they'd hurry up.' Shifting his American style backpack on his shoulder, he glances over at his friends.

"All you had to do was prevent Black Fox and Red Wolf from doing anything! Not only did you get beaten up, but you also lost the tracer you were supposed to put on Kristen!" Botan's voice raises a few octaves on the last part, she is obviously exasperated.

"Well what the hell did you want us to do! Everything was going great until that Girl showed up!" Yusuke shouts at her, with his usual bad manners.

Confused, Botan asks, "Girl What girl?" She looks at the group for an answer.

"Yeah," shrugs Kuwabara, "There was this girl, she called herself Death." He shudders, "Had a black cape and everything."

"Oh my!"

"Yeah, so tell me Botan," Yusuke sneers, "Why is a pilot of the River Styx working for the bad guys? I thought you all worked for pacifier breath."

"imu-oh" mutters Boton, Grabbing the cuffs of her kimono and shrugging.

"Perhaps," Ventures Kuranma, "It is a rouge?"

"Oh great!" Snarls Urimeshi, "First we have to watch out for two psychotic demons and now we have to fight a pissed off death! What next!" Everyone looks at the ground, thinking.

"Well," Hiei speaks up, "We'll just have to wait and see what else they throw at us.

Strutting into the cafeteria, Emily glances at the clock. 'Hummm.... 7:40. I have a few minutes before Barb shows up. I'll go bug the gang.' With that thought foremost in her head, she trots over to a crowded table.

"Hey!"

"What? Oh, Hey Em, How's it going?" Gary asks.

"Uh...Ok. Give me a piece of you donut?" She asks of Shawn as she plops onto the seat next to Beck.

"No. Why would I do that?"

"Fine, don't it was worth a shot."

Just then Kristen walks in, followed by another girl.

"Hey hey!" She shouts in greeting, neatly liberating Shawn's hashbrown from him at the same time. "Umm....Oh, this is Katie. I got to show her around school."

"Oh, you a shadow?" Gary asks.

"Not really, I'm switching to this school." responds Kite with a smile.

Grinning, Emily pokes Chris in the ribs and points. Beck just shakes his head and goes back to reading his new manga, Death. Just then the bell rings and Emily heads to the library to meet up with Barbara.

"I gtg guys, Talk to you later! Oh, Danny, don't forget my movie!" Crossing the hall, Emily nearly collides with Yuske and Kuwabara, who are late for class.

"Damn it! Boton made us late again!"

"How are we supposed to watch her and be in class?"

"No clue! We'll just have to skip class and follow Kristen." Yuske mutters. Grinning to herself, Emily strolls into the library.

Walking over to her customary seat, she notices that Barbara is furiously typing away on the keyboard.

"Na Ne?" She asks.

"Huh, what? Oh, it's nothing..." replies Barb, while her brow furrows in anger. "Nothing at all" Under her breath a long string of curses flows in 9 different languages as she types.

Even later!

Yuske quickly dodged around the corner, again barely avoiding the glance of Katie. "damn! How did she know I was there?"

He had been trailing Kristen for almost two periods now, and every time he dropped his guard for one second, that girl would glance his way. Urimeshi couldn't follow too far behind, or he'd lose Kirsten in the halls, but now he couldn't get to close either.

Frustrated, Yuske glanced at his watch. "good, Kuwabara will be taking over for me shortly."

"Hey, Urimeshi!" Shouted a familiar grading voice.

"What'da know, the goofballs right on time for a change." Yuske grins as he meets up with Kuwabara, "hey, you taking over for me? About time."

"I would have been here sooner but my math teacher was giving a test..."

"Never mind about that now," Urimeshi points over to where Kristen is talking to a friend, with Katie not more then four feet away. "see that girl overthere?"

"Yeah, that's Kristen, you dummy, the girl we're supposed to watch..."

"No you dumb ass! The other girl, the one who's following her!"

"Oh. Yeah, I see her, what about it?"

"She's following Kristen, and she knew I was following her." Yuske mentions.

"Oh...that?s not good. Uh...Hey Natalie, Beck." He waves at them as they walk by.

"Death!" Natalie chipperly proclaims waving back

"Hey" Mutters Chris.

"That girl is really weird," Kuwabara Proclaims to his partner as the two walk away.

"Yeah. Anyway, keep an eye on that other girl....She might have been sent by Red and Black."

"Don't worry Urimeshi, I'll watch the other girl too, No problem!" and with that he goes to trail Kristen.

Just as before, Katie notices Kuwabara is following. With much less stealth then Urimeshi, but following none the less. A short time later when Kristen bumps in Barb in the hall, Katie glances slyly to the left. Curious, Barbara looks over and sees Kuwabara and grins, showing just the tips of her teeth back at Katie.

Confused, Kuwabara looks on "huh? what was that about?"

Two periods later, Kuwabara meets up with Kuranma in the back hallway.

"Hey Kuranma," Kuwabara begins, "Before you go off, I think I should tell you that the girl who is following Kristen seems to be on to us. Urimeshi noticed it earlier. He thinks she might have been sent by Red and Black."

"And what do you think Kuwabara?"

Scratching his head, Kuwabara frowns, "I think Urimeshi is right about her. I don't know, she may be an assassin or something."

"Hummmm.....That can not be good. Well, I will take your warning to heart and watch that one as well." With that, Kuranma disappears into the busily hallways.

After two more periods of just catching shadows and hair darting around corners, Katie is starting to get annoyed. She turns her head slightly and notices yet again a lock of red hair disappearing around the corner. "This is ridiculous, are they going to do this all day?!" She mutters to herself.

"She is good. To good to be a normal human." Kuranma frowns as he dodges yet another of Katie?s sideways looks. "She must be working for Back Fox and Red Wolf. I hate to admit it, but Kuwabara is most likely right about her being an assassin." Glancing at a wall clock he sighs, "Well, it will be Hiei's turn shortly."

"I don't see why I have to follow a human girl around all day." Hiei gripes as he meets up with Kuranma.

"Yes, well, she is not exactly human, now is she? And I'd hardly call two periods all day."

"Fine. I will do it, but I do not have to like it."

Smiling slightly, chuckles. He warns Hiei of the possible danger Katie poses to Kristen, and walks away, leaving a very annoyed Hiei behind him.

Katie notices that they are being followed by a demon. She can't follow him with her eyes, and gets annoyed. Kristen is still oblivious.

A short while later, Kristen bumps into Barbara.

"Hey Kristen! Are you staying after today?" Barbara asks, grinning.

"Ummm... Sure, for a little bit." Kristen waves as she rushes into her class as the bell rings.

Walking away, Barbara hears a faint voice coming from the roof "Great. Overtime"

"Emily, I'm a poor white girl that lives in Franklin! Can you please give me a dollar?"

"No," sighs Emily as she returns Barbara?s serve.

"75 Cents?"

"Nope."

"Why nooot!" Whines Kristen.

"'cause all I have is a five."

"That'll work. Please?"

"Emily just give her the money so we can finish our game." Snaps Barbara, holding the Ping-Pong ball and her paddle.

"Fine. here." Gins Emily as she hands her money over to Kristen. "Get me a soda, k?"

"Sure. Thank you!" Kristen smiles as she hugs Emily.

"The Student Center is empty for the most part." Comments Urimeshi. "Other then those three," he gestures over to Em, Barb and Kristen, "You only have the other five and us"

"Yes, but it is still to crowded for the assassin to strike. She will be noticed," Comments Kuranma looking over to where Nat, Chris and Dan are playing DDE (A.N.L.: DDE Dance Dance Evolution....We made it up. It's wicked hard.) while Katie watches.

"Yeah, I guess you would know," Kuwabara mutters into his soda, "What with you past and all."

"I was a thief, not an assassin. But yes, the principal remains the same."

10 minutes later, right before the late busses arrive, Kristen heads out with Katie. "Hey, I got to go, guys, I have to talk to the Future Father of My Babies tonight. Bye!"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just call him Felix?" Emily asks Barbara as they head out the door.

"It's Kristen. We'll see you guys later! Bathroom breaks. Common Em, let's flock."

Waving the kids who were playing DDE watch them all leave while putting away the game.

Silently, Urimeshi, Kuwabara, Kuranma, and Hiei leave the student center to follow Kristen. When they get outside, Kristen can be seen crossing the street.

"We must move quickly, Now is the perfect operating for the Assassin to strike, away from witnesses!"

Suddenly Katie rises from their shadows right next to them. "Are you talking about me?"

"AHH! Don't sneak up on people like that!" Yelps Kuwabara.

"Like what?" She asks innocently.

"You know what I'm talking about!"

"Tell me, why have you been following Kristen?" Kuranma interrupts.

"I could ask you the same thing." She grins.

"Don't play with us, Girl. I don't have time for your childish games."

"Childish? I wouldn't call what I'm doing childish, like hiding behind corners to follow someone is." Katie laughs at them. "As for why I'm following Kristen, It's my job. What's your excuse?"

"Well, obviously to protect her from people like YOU!" Urimishi screams as he lunges forward to punch Katie.

"Ah!" She exclaims as she disappears. Reappearing behind him she wags a finger under his nose. "Na-uh-ah. Now that isn't very nice of you, now is it? Besides, I'm Shadow. I'm untouchable."

"I tire of this game!" Hiei snaps as he slashes at Shadow/Katie with his sword.

"Dark Shadow Dance!" Shadow shouts as she does a little jig and disappears only to reappear behind Kuwabara.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!" He shouts as he levitates into the air.

"Watch out! She is much stronger then we thought!"

"No duh!" Urimeshi snarls as she charges his sprit energy. "SHOT GUN!"

"Dark wave!" a wave of dark energy swallows up his attack.

"No way!" Kuwabara exclaims. Suddenly Death shows up, nearly decapitates him with her Bone Chakrum.

"Knock it off, we don't have time for this now!" Death snaps at Shadow, "It'll have to wait for IT"

"Oh, but I'm having fun!"

"Come-on let's go before they get mad."

"Fine!" As both of them disappear into the shadows, Shadow tuns around and waves "Bye-bye!"

"Why'd they just leave like that?" Kuwabara asks befuddled.

"Perhaps they had a prior engagement somewhere. It is most fortunate for us, though."

"Why?" Yuske asks.

"If the fight had gone on any longer, I fear we may have missed our busses."

"Yeah that?s right.....OH CRAP THE BUSSES!!!" Urimeshi and Kuwabara show as they all run flat out to catch the now leaving busses.

As the sun starts to go down, Five shadowy figures can be seen lounging on the roof of the school. From the silhouettes they cast, it is barely discernable that only one is male. (A.N.L.: Yeah, real mysterious!) They are silent as they look on while The Sprit detectives? rush to board their busses.

After a short while one of the figures turns away and says "Will they side with HIM?"

"Don't know, we'll have to wait and see." Another one shrugs.

"You know, they defiantly don't like you two..." one starts conversationally.

"gee? you think?" The others laugh.

"Death"

"There! Finished. You guys can stop posing now. I got the sketch done." One of the figures says with a grin. He stands up and walks over to the other four."

"OHHH! Let me see!" Giggles one of the girls.

"Hey, Chris, that's nice. What'cha going to call it?" Asks another."

"I don't know yet."

"I know! Why not call it DEATH?!"

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