another horrific phenomenon brought to you by the Baby Sun

[ugly-old-hat.livejournal.com]

Throughout history, many strange and sinister rains had been recorded. Rains of blood, of meat, of frogs. Rains of locusts. Rains of fire and brimstone.

But had there ever been a rain like this?

The grounds of Hogwarts were splattered with a viscous pink goo. Between the falling drops of pinkish sludge, the malevolent Baby Sun's rays continued to shine.

It was a rain of Tubby Custard. The stuff was liquid enough to be drinkable through the straws built into Tubby breakfast bowls, yet thick enough to be called a custard. And it was truly vile. Even Teletubbies, who lived on this pink goo, had been known to experience deep upset and dismay upon witnessing a Tubby Custard mess. There was something about the prospect of uncontrolled Tubby Custard that struck fear into the heart-approximating organ of a Teletubby. How much more should a human fear this glop?

The Baby Sun cooed its delight. Plants, animals, centaurs, buildings, all acquired unsightly splotches of Tubby Custard. The rain continued sporadically as the day wore on, and would not cease until the Baby Sun set for the night.

Comments

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"It smells like you've been wearing it for that long, too," Kurama pointed out. "And you aren't homeless. You have an entire castle to live in." His smirk widened, and he flicked his tail at Kuronue.

"You'll need them, I promise. Mello wants to try London again, and I don't want to go it alone. He'll drive me mad." He lifted his chin. Let Kuronue take or refuse the invitation if he wished, but Kurama would drag him out to the world eventually... kicking and screaming, if necessary.

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

"Oh, come off it, I wash them." He glowered at him, barely resisting poking his tongue out at him. He also refrained from saying that four walls does not a home make. It was merely a place to sleep. A house; not a home.

He nodded. "Mello has mentioned going somewhere. I am interested." He paused for a minute, then raised an eyebrow at Kurama. "I assume there's a way to hide our oddities if you're suggesting it so casually."

He didn't bother to add that he would only be going to see what had changed since he was there last, and not to buy new clothes.

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"Look who you're talking to, here. And where you are. Hiding behind convenient illusions is common place, nowadays." he grinned brightly. "You know that the barrier between Makai and Ningenkai was destroyed, right? At least in our world. With that comes a certain expertise with being able to feign humanity. I can whip up an illusion for us easy."

Or, if he wanted to irritate Inari, Kurama himself could just take polyjuice, but there was a limit to how far he wanted to push the envelope.

"Come on, it'll be fun, if nothing else."

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

"You'll notice I've been dead for a thousand odd years, I haven't been able to keep up to date in Netherworld, seem as it was sealed off." There was a trace of bitterness in his tone, but he quickly moved on."But the barrier went down? And Reikai allowed this to remain, I take it. Why would they do that?"

When he found a spell that was actually useful to him, then he may be inclined to be more appreciative wizard-brand magic. "Fox magic may be good, actually."

He thought on it for a short while, fidgeting restlessly. "Alright, I'll go."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

he winced a little. As if he'd ever forget. he nudged Kuronue's shoulder with his own, not bothering to blame his lack of tact on the knock to his cranium. "Sorry, that was stupid of me to say." He grinned, then.

"It'll be fun, I promise you. Humans and Wzards know how to set up for us monsters to have a good time."

Kurama's grin turned sly. He tapped his back pocket, indicating the picture. "As for the barrier, we made it come down. I'll tell you the whole story sometime, but it stayed down after Ko-Enma, who we were working for, discovered some giant scarlet letters on the Reikai ledger. Reikai had kept the barrier up all that time so they could pull demons from Makai out, brainwipe them, drop 'em on humans and then send Special Forces after 'em so that Enma looked like the ultimate good guy. Once the greater Gods got wind of it, the entire operation was shut down, and we've begun to reintegrate."

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

He waved his hand, dismissing Kurama's apology. It wasn't needed, he understood. "Hmm, I would hope so. It's been a long time since I was able to toy with humans."

At Kurama's explanation of the destruction of the kekkai barrier his eyes widened. "Enma did that? One would expect better from a god." He thought on it. Well, probably not. Gods seemed to get rather bored if this place was anything to go by.

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"Enma, I have come to learn, is a grade-A bastard. Ko-Enma isn't so bad, though. Once you get around him being an absolute spoiled brat. He's come through for us on more than one occasion." He grew quiet for a moment. Something that had bothered him for quite a long time refused to not be spoken of any more.

"Kuro... you said that you'd been in the netherworld for all this time," stupid, of course he had been. That's where demons went. "Can I ask you a few questions about that?"

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I'm perfectly happy with Koenma being in charge then."

He looked at Kurama for a long time, then lowered his eyes and nodded silently. Gesturing for him to go ahead and ask. Shifting his wings to he was a little more comfortable, he let himself flop back onto the dark covers of his bed, and stared up at the canopy of his bed.

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

Kurama found it very difficult to form the question on his mind, and felt cold having to ask it at all. But, he had to know.

"A few years ago, Yakumo tried a takeover," he murmured, looking away, nervously. "One of his generals... that..." he sighed, rubbing his hands over his face, ignoring the lingering traces of pinkstuff for now. "Did you hear me? When I called out to you then?"

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

He frowned, thinking back. When Yakumo had been gathering the strongest of the Netherworld, Kuronue himself had been propositioned to be one of the generals, but he had declined. He was perfectly happy remaining in Netherworld, and couldn't understand why the others wanted access to the other worlds too.

Another had been chosen in his stead, however he'd never returned, and so Kuronue hadn't a single clue of the demon's tactics.

"I..." He frowned. "Netherworld was sealed off, for a long time. But...when it began to crack open...I thought..." He shook his head dismissing it. "Maybe I did, I don't know."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"Ah," he deflated, trying to think of a way out of this avalanche he'd started. He did not want to tell Kuronue about the imposter if he hadn't known, and certainly didn't want to explain how he'd prayed fervently for help. He quieted, hoping Kuronue would take the reigns and change the subject.

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

He looked over to Kurama, linking his fingers together and placing them on his stomach. "Did something happen that made you try to call out for me, Kurama?" he asked quietly. He was...honoured that Kurama had tried to call him, for strength, for help.

Half of the time, Kurama underestimated his own strength however.

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"One of them..." he couldn't look at Kuronue like that, so there and real and alive. He hunched his shoulders a little, settling back to pretend he was comfortable.

"One of his generals impersonated you. I was weak then, barely even A class, still human. I thought that you had... that I had betrayed you. That I was the one who had killed you."

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

Kuronue sat up a little, frowning deeply. "That's ridiculous, I died of my own choice, you could never have killed me in the situation. Especially when I told you to leave me."

He sighed heavily and covered his eyes with his arms, crossing them over his face. "The ones who killed me were the ones who bled me out and crushed my skull. I assure you it was not you."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"It was very real," he murmured, wincing at the reminder of how exactly Kuronue had met his demise. "He had your pendant."

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

"How the fuck did they get my pendant?" he growled, peaking out from behind his arm. His wings shuddered in anger. "I hope you killed him, and slowly."

He shifted on the bed, furious now.

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

Kurama shook his head. "There wasn't time, but he suffered. I hope he's still suffering. As for your pendant, I don't know. I..." he grimaced, this part was the worst. "I kept it with me for a while, but then one day it was just... gone."

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

"It's got a bit of me in it. It could never stray too far," he admitted, then snapped his mouth closed.

Something that could only remain physical for so long without Kuronue's spirit, the pendant had returned to him in the Netherworld, joining with Kuronue's spirit version subtly.

He sighed heavily. To think of it in the hands of someone as filthy as this impostor made him furious all over again. He reached up and curled a hand around it protectively.

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"I never knew," Kurama murmured. That was perhaps why it felt so real, why the illusion had worked so well. He'd attributed the feeling of it being 'like' Kuronue to the fact that he was thrust back into mourning, that it was the last remnant of... well, of before. He'd worn it almost constantly after, only taking it off before particularly nasty battles, hiding it in safety to keep the chain from breaking again.

And then, one morning, the familiar weight had been gone. He'd searched for months before giving up, his eyes always seeking that familiar red glow.

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

"It has many secrets," he murmured, stroking the smooth surface of the red centre fondly.

He looked over to Kurama again. "Thank you for keeping it safe."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

"Of course," he said, looking away. "It was part of you. I could do nothing but."

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

He reached out and wrapped his hand around Kurama's arm. "I mean it," he said quietly. "Thank you."

Even though it was soul-bound, Kuronue still understood and appreciated Kurama keeping it. "look at me, please."

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

Kurama glanced at him, averted his gaze, and then looked back again. His finely cultivated eloquence escaped him now; he could think of nothing to say that wasn't an unneeded apology.

[prettypendulum.livejournal.com]

Kuronue merely smiled at him, holding his gaze for as long as he could. Then, he said, "Are you feeling better?"

[serrulata.livejournal.com]

He kept the gaze, trying a little smile. "I feel tired," he admitted, reaching up tentatively to touch the bruise. "I haven't a smacking like this in a good while, and I don't like the thought of staying up to endure it." He'd have to ask Kusuriyuri to watch him tonight, just to be on the safe side. Not that he thought he'd slip into catatonia, but living with a healer put the fear into a person. "And you?"