Hakusho: Parenthood

Chapter 12: N stands for Nosedive

October 25, 2010

"Giddy-up, my trusty steed! Your king decrees it!"

Kurama gave a loud sigh of exasperation before continuing to wander around the backyard in his spirit fox form with his son seated on his back. Said son was currently adorning a golden-painted plastic crown and royal cape (covered fully in brooches from his past birthdays) while waving around a scepter, expression blank to an almost comical degree. This little game of theirs, lovingly titled The King And His Fox Companion, was an event that only occurred during Hibiki's birthday. Hibiki first suggested this game during his fourth birthday, which, in his eyes, made up for the fact that he had only one birthday instead of two due to the special circumstances in regards to his birth.

Golden eyes warily gazed at the ten year-old birthday boy. He spoke to his son through telepathy. "Hibiki...don't you think that you're getting a little too old for this". It wasn't like Hibiki was getting heavy, this form was strong enough to carry much heavier weights, but this was starting to become tiresome...and slightly embarrassing. Thankfully their guests hadn't arrived yet or else he'll never hear the end of it from Yusuke. He gets enough jokes from Hiei.

"...Was that your polite way of saying that I'm fat?" Hibiki asked with a slight pout.

"Of course not. You're of average weight for your age. I just believe this should be the last time we do this." 

A low, almost inaudible, whine emerged from Hibiki's chest and he laid against the giant fox's back. "...Does this have to be the last time...?" He mumbled, voice muffled by thick, silver fur.

Shizuru grasped her son by the waist and slid him off of his father. "Sorry buddy. Play time's over. Our guests are here and you know that your dad doesn't like it when everyone sees him like this." She took a puff of her cigarette as she gave her son a glance over. She raised an amused brow. "You seem to be enjoying the stuff we got you. Planning on wearing that getup throughout the whole party?"

Hibiki's nose flared and he rapidly nodded. "Most definitely. Today's my birthday, my tenth birthday, meaning that for today I'll shall be known as King Hibiki. Reaching double digits is proof of my ascent to maturity, so no longer will I be treated as a mere child..." Hibiki dramatically explained. Then he pouted. "...but most factors of my childhood, such as riding my father in his fox form, shall be missed dearly."

Shizuru impassively stared at her son. She seriously had one strange kid.

A violet aura enveloped Kurama as his fox form gradually began to morph into Yoko Kurama and then back into Shuichi Minamino. He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck until there was a satisfying pop. He smiled when he saw Shiori stepping out of the house to the backyard along with her husband, Kazuya, stepson, Shuuichi, and his wife and kids. The older woman affectionately hugged both parents, Kazuya shifted the bags of presents to one hand before shaking hands with them, and Shuuichi side-hugged them due to him having his eight month old baby strapped to his chest.

"It's wonderful to see you two again."  Shuuichi's wife, Yui bowed, causing her camera to loosely hang. She straightened herself up and scratched at her pixie cut hair with a sheepish grin. "It really has been awhile, huh? Last time I saw Hibiki he was much smaller. Barely even reached my hips, but look at him now! With all the freelancing I've been doing, I haven't gotten any vacation time, but freelance journalism is a competitive business! Gotta work super hard until you cry tears of blood if you want to be number one I say—!"

Shizuru raised a hand, putting a stop to the woman's rant. Was oxygen a foreign concept for her? "We get it. You've been busy. We're just glad you're here..."