It was something they�d known was going to occur since he�d revealed to his mother that another mind inhabited his body. That being the mind of a fox spirit named Kurama. His mother had been dismayed at first, but had come to accept her son as special and different. Shuichi, for his part, thought of himself as Kurama most of the time. It had reached the point where his mother and teachers were the only ones that called him Shuichi at all.
The one comfort was the knowledge that most everyone in his grade was in the same position as himself. Most students began classes here when they were about twelve or thirteen years old, since that was when gifts such as his tended to emerge.
A few of the students were chatting quietly with each other. Clearly these few had their powers emerge the year before or knew each other from regular school. Either way, Kurama couldn�t help but feel a little lonely. He sighed and looked down at his empty notebook. Soon it would be filled with the knowledge he needed to understand the gifts he had.
A familiar grunt pulled the silent young man from his thoughts. He looked up to see a rather short boy with spiky black hair scowling at him. He smiled at the first familiar face he seen since arriving that morning. �Hiei,� he greeted gently.
�What are you doing here?� his friend asked. Although his expression never faltered, Kurama could tell that his friend was as relieved as he was.
Kurama shrugged. �It seems I have the ability to manipulate plants,� he said smoothly.
�Hn,� Hiei grunted. �Fire.�
Kurama closed his eyes and barely suppressed a chuckle at Hiei�s brevity. �You have power over fire?� he translated accurately.
Hiei nodded and his face softened. �Yukina�s here too,� he breathed. �She�she makes snow.�
�Fire and ice,� Kurama said, grinning. �How very appropriate, considering you are her twin brother.�
Hiei nodded and glanced at the empty desk to Kurama�s left. At the redhead�s nod, he took a seat and dropped his bag to the floor beside him. �Where is your sister?� Kurama whispered softly, as Hiei reached into his bag to retrieve his class schedule.
�She went to the office,� he explained. �She thinks they mixed my schedule up with hers.� To explain what he meant, he showed his schedule to Kurama.
Kurama scanned the paper and then nodded. The schedule showed Hiei attending a class on Elementary Healing and other classes, such as Armed Combat, were conspicuously absent. However, the paper bore his name at the top.
At that moment, Yukina entered the room and, after glancing around briefly, headed directly to where her brother was seated. �There was a mix up in their files,� she said softly, handing a paper to Hiei. �They had us backwards.�
�Hn,� Hiei grunted. �Idiots. I suppose we�ll have to correct the teachers all day now.�
Yukina sighed. �It looks that way,� she said sweetly.
Kurama smiled. The pair couldn�t be more completely opposite if they�d planned it. Where Hiei was belligerent and sarcastic, Yukina was innocent, sweet and very kind-hearted. They were also nearly inseparable. Since finally finding each other the year before, the two had grown very close and Hiei was fiercely protective of his twin, who he called his little sister.
Hiei handed his new schedule to Kurama, who read over it quickly and then smiled up at his friend. �The only class we don�t have together is �Communicating with Your Inner Spirit�,� he announced. �I didn�t know you were interested in healing.�
�Hn,� Hiei grunted. �I�m not, but I wanted to be in at least one class with Yukina,� he explained. �Besides, it may come in handy.�
Kurama nodded and smiled at Yukina, who was busily looking over the schedule Hiei had handed her. The kitsune shook his head as he imagined the confusion the simple mix-up would cause all day long.
**
Their first class was Armed Combat. Upon entering it, Kurama was surprised to see the tall, dark-haired man who had led them from the boat the previous day. He scowled at the students and directed them to sit down on the floor around the edges of the large empty classroom.
Once the class had quieted, he quickly read over the roll of students. The student list was, it seemed, organized alphabetically by personal name. As a consequence, Hiei sat quietly until the very end of attendance.
�Yukina Koorime?� Master Hiko called, looking up from the list and glancing around at the students.
Hiei�s hand went up and Kurama had to suppress a chuckle at the confused look that crossed the teacher�s face.
�You aren�t Yukina,� he said uncertainly.
Hiei grunted. �The office got our schedules backwards,� he explained softly. While it was the first time, Kurama had no doubt that it would not be the only time Hiei would have to explain the confusion. The kitsune could only imagine what the day would be like for the more soft-spoken Yukina. �I�m her twin brother. I�m Hiei Hino.�
The teacher�s expression grew serious and he asked, �Are you sure you don�t want your sister to take this course instead of you?�
Hiei grunted again and nodded silently.
�Fine,� the teacher replied. Looking away from the roll, he said, �Kenshin, go out and retrieve some water from the well.�
�Yes, Master,� a young man with red hair and violet eyes said. Kurama recognized him from the previous day and smiled slightly. Kenshin beamed at the kitsune before he obediently jumped to his feet and scurried out of the room.
�He doesn�t look like much,� an orange haired boy named Kuwabara whispered to his neighbor. �Why�d you think he�s at this school?�
�I�m sure he�s more than he seems,� Kurama whispered softly.
�He is,� Master Hiko intoned. Without warning, he hurled a knife at the door, just as it opened to emit the red-haired student.
Kenshin dodged the knife, retrieved it and handed it back to his master, all without spilling a drop of water and while smiling innocently. �You lost this, Master,� he said, as Hiko took the blade.
�Thank you,� the teacher said. Turning to Kuwabara, he added, �Himura seems to be able to anticipate what those around him are going to do, even before they realize it themselves.�
�Oh,� Kuwabara said numbly.
Kurama smiled at Kenshin, who covered his mouth to hide a giggle and knelt on the floor beside him. Soon Hiko had begun explaining to the students what would be expected of them. Most of them would use swords of one kind or another, while others would use staves or bows and arrows. Hiko would decide who would be trained in what weapon once he�d tested their aptitude with a few.
At this pronouncement, Inuyasha�s hand went up. When Hiko turned to him, the hanyou said, �My ma wants me to learn to use a sword, since I have one that I�m supposed to keep with me,� he explained.
Hiko scowled. �Yes, I know,� he replied. �Stand and draw your blade, Inuyasha.�
Inuyasha sighed deeply and pulled the sword from its scabbard. The blade looked worn and rusty and its state elicited a few chuckles from some of the students. The offending students received twin glares from both master and student. Once the class had quieted again, Hiko asked, �What would you use your sword for?�
Inuyasha blinked in confusion. �What the Hell else would I use it for? Protecting people,� he snapped.
�What people?� Hiko persisted stubbornly.
�Human people,� Inuyasha growled. �Like my mama!� Suddenly, the battered looking sword glowed brilliantly and seemed to expand. When the glow died, the end of the blade hit the floor solidly. �Damn!� Inuyasha exclaimed. �It�s bigger than I am.�
�Hmm,� Hiko said. �So it is. Don�t worry. Once you learn how to use it properly, its size will be an asset rather than a hindrance.�
�Right,� Inuyasha said dubiously, swinging the heavy blade around to slip it back into its sheath. As he did so, it seemed to shrink in on itself, until it was the same battered sword it was before.
�Cool sword,� a dark-haired boy named Yusuke whispered, as Inuyasha knelt back down.
Inuyasha shrugged and replied, �Thanks.�
**
Kurama sat near the front of the class and sighed. This was the first class he�d had where he didn�t know anyone. He was sure, because this particular class was so small, that he�d become familiar with everyone soon, but it still made his somewhat uneasy.
On his left, sat a boy who was maybe a year younger than he was. His blonde hair stood around his head in spikes and he was glancing around the room with wide, innocent eyes. He caught Kurama�s eyes for a moment; then beamed at him and nodded a greeting.
Behind the blonde was a quiet young man with wide brown eyes and pale colored hair. He was looking down at his schedule, as if he wasn�t too certain he was where he was supposed to be.
Just as the bell rang, two more people entered the room. One was a short young man, about Kurama�s age with straight dark hair and wide violet eyes. The man with him, though about the same height, was clearly the teacher.
�Take your seat, Colin,� the teacher directed the boy beside him.
Colin nodded. �Sure, Master Phillip,� he replied, sitting down on Kurama�s right.
�Now then,� Phillip said, glancing at his small group of students. �This class is called, �Communicating with Your Inner Voice.� Each of you has a spirit that you need to learn to communicate with, that�s why you�re here.�
�Mine�s not so inner,� Colin whispered to Kurama. Pointing at the empty air to his right, he added, �She�s standing right there.�
Kurama chuckled and Phillip sighed. �Yes, Colin,� he said patiently. �You need to learn to communicate with your familiar.� Shaking his head and mumbling to himself, Phillip moved across the room and began pulling soft cushions out of a cabinet. He set them around the front of the room and then beckoned to the students to join him as he sat down.
�First we�re going to try some meditation techniques and see if we can reach our inner spirits,� he said softly. �Close your eyes and visualize a place where you feel safe and peaceful.�
Kurama closed his eyes and tried to picture the garden that grew nearby the dormitory. He�d visited it the day he�d arrived at the school and found it to be the most relaxing place he�d ever been in.
Kurama sighed as he felt all his tense muscle relaxing. Even if he couldn�t get in contact with his inner spirit � the kitsune, whose name he often used � at least he wouldn�t be as tense when the class was finished.
�Now that you�re all relaxed,� he heard Phillip say. �I want you to reach out to your inner spirit and ask them to visit you in your safe place.�
Kurama frowned slightly and entered the plain of his mind. As Shuichi, he glanced around and said, �Hello? Kurama? Are � are you here?�
A moment later, a silver nose peered out of a small bush. It was followed by the rest of a fox�s body. The fox looked curiously at Shuichi, who frowned back.
�Kurama?� he asked softly.
�That�s fourth tail,� a voice said tentatively from behind him.
Shuichi started and then turned to face the speaker. He was taller that Shuichi, with long silver hair and silver fox ears, as well as a fox�s tail. His eyes were almost gold in color and he looked mildly amused at Shuichi�s expression.
�I�m third tail,� he said softly. �First tail and second tail are around here someplace.�
�I have tails?� Shuichi said incredulously. �Four of them?!�
�Six, actually,� said a feminine voice from behind him.
He turned around to find a petite girl about his own age standing behind him. She had long bright red hair and bright green eyes and was dressed in the uniform that the girls in his school wore. Shuichi frowned. �You � you�re a girl,� he said.
She shrugged. �A nine-tail thought it would be interesting to give us a female tail a while ago,� she explained. �It almost never happens, but�well, it has its advantages.�
�How come you look like that?� he asked in confusion.
�We can look however we want here,� a voice said gently. When Kurama turned to face the speaker, he saw another kitsune, similar in appearance to Third tail.
�I�m First tail,� the youko said, grinning slightly. �This is the first time we�ve been able to talk to you when you were awake.�
Shuichi smiled and shrugged. �I never knew there�there were so many of you in here. Doesn�t it get crowded?�
Fourth tail, who by now had taken the same form as First and Third, laughed out loud and shook his head. �It�ll get more crowded the more power we get. Kitsune can have as many as nine tails.�
�You�re our sixth,� an unfamiliar voice said softly. �And clearly not our brightest.�
Shuichi turned to face the newcomer, as did his other tails. �Second,� First tail scolded. �He�s still young. Be nice.�
�Whatever,� he replied impatiently. �We�re here. What did you want?�
Shuichi shrugged nervously. �I�m supposed to learn how to communicate with you. I�m guessing, since we�re talking now, I�ve succeeded.�
�Ask your teacher what to do next,� Third tail said softly.
Shuichi nodded and opened his eyes. He glanced at Phillip and his classmates. Yugi, as Phillip called the blond-haired young man, was looking quite pleased with himself. Colin was sprawled out on his chest, staring at a point just in front of him and whispering softly. Bakura was looking quite distressed and Phillip was talking to him in a concerned voice.
�Now, we all need to establish ground rules with the spirits,� he explained. �Bakura, you�ll want to put your spirit in a corner of your mind and lock him there until you�ve learned more control. Remember it�s your mind and not his.�
Bakura nodded slightly and closed his eyes. Phillip turned to Kurama and asked, �Is there something wrong?�
Kurama shook his head and then nodded uncertainly. �There are five of them,� he explained softly.
Phillip nodded. �That�s to be expected,� he said reassuringly. �Kitsune often have multiple tails. With each tail, comes a new mind to help work out any problems. It gives them a new point of view.� When Kurama nodded and relaxed, he said, �Work out the ground rules with them and make sure they each have a place in your mind where they can be alone. The place you are now will be your place and they will not be allowed there after today. Then we�ll work on where your neutral ground can be.�
Kurama closed his eyes and returned to his mental plain, where he found the five youkai sitting around playing cards. He frowned and sat between fourth and fifth tails. �Do you do this often?� he asked, as fourth dealt him in.
Third shrugged and frowned at his cards. �You were gone for a while,� he explained.
�I needed to wait until Master Phillip had calmed Bakura down. Apparently his inner spirit isn�t very nice.�
�You won�t have to worry about us,� First tail assured him. �You�re one of us, so we�d never do anything that would hurt you. It�d be hurting ourselves too.�
Shuichi nodded and said, �We�re supposed to work out ground rules. This is supposed to be my personal space from now on and we�ll talk to each other someplace else. Do you have your own places yet?�
Five youkai nodded and Shuichi smiled. �I expect my teachers will want me in control when I�m in class,� he said.
Third tail nodded and then shrugged. �You�ll know anything we know, so it doesn�t matter, but you�ll learn better by actually participating.�
�Any other rules?� Second grumbled.
Shuichi grinned. �Don�t do anything I wouldn�t do,� he joked.
Second smiled slightly and rolled his eyes, while the others chuckled softly.
�We�ll help out where we can,� First said gently. �Just as I�m certain that you�ll be as much of an asset to us as Fifth tail was.�
Shuichi nodded and was pulled from his thoughts by a loud bell. He opened his eyes in surprised and saw Phillip scowling. �Bell?�
�Yes,� the teacher growled. �Class is over, I�m afraid. We�ll have to continue this tomorrow. Dismissed.�
The other three students got to their feet and went back to their desks to gather their books. Knowing that he had a free period next, Kurama stayed a moment longer to ask Phillip a question. �One�one of them is a girl,� he said tentatively.
Phillip scowled and nodded. �Is that going to be a problem?� he asked.
Kurama shook his head and asked, �Would I turn�would I become a girl if she had control?�
Phillip shook his head and smiled. �No, lad,� he said confidently.
�Is there a way to?� Kurama asked slyly. �She might be more comfortable that way and I don�t believe the others would much care about how I look.�
Phillip looked thoughtful and nodded. �I believe there is a way, but talk it over with them tonight and tell me the decision in the morning.�
�Thank you, Master Phillip,� Kurama answered. �I�ll do that.�
**
Kurama did just as he promised as he was walking back to the hall where the students lived during the school year. The six tails quickly came to an agreement, that there were times when it would be beneficial to have a female body. It there was a way to do it; then Kurama should try it.
As Kurama came out of his mental plain, he realized that while Fifth tail had been in control, she�d taken the most circuitous route back to the hall that she possibly could. He frowned as he tried to get his bearings; then smiled when he saw a familiar figure leap into a nearby tree.
�Hiei, I see you�ve found a friend,� he called, as he came to stand beneath its branches. He was pleasantly surprised to see that not only was his friend nestled in the tree, but the hanyou he�d met earlier was as well. He smiled warmly and then turned back to Hiei. �Aren�t you going to say hello?� he teased.
Hiei grunted and then said, �Hello, Kurama.�
Kurama chuckled and turned back to the hanyou. �Hello, Inuyasha,� he greeted softly.
�Hello,� Inuyasha replied. �We just figured out that we�re roommates.�
Kurama smiled. He thought about his roommate and looked at Hiei. �Master Phillip seems quite adept at pairing compatible people together. My roommate and I get alone terrifically and, if this is any indication, you two will as well.�
�Hn,� Hiei grunted.
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. �Humph,� he snorted. �Just because we both sit in trees doesn�t mean anything. They�re secure and give a good view to see if any enemies are approaching.�
�Precisely,� Hiei agreed.
Kurama nodded and wandered back toward the hall. Clearly Inuyasha and Hiei were like two peas in a pod. He was sure the pair would get along great. Either that or they�d kill each other. Both of them seemed to have rather volatile tempers. Chuckling at the thought, Kurama entered the hall and headed for his room.
End
