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Green eyes washed over the green felt table, quickly taking in, counting, and memorizing the cards laid out as the dealer dealt them. Casually engaging in chit chat with the female at his side that was trying to distract him, he hears the heavy pounding of footsteps coming in his direction. Inwardly sighing because he'd been having a fun time and had made no small amount of cash to take with him now, he listened and heard more pounding footsteps following the first set. It was a good thing he had been cashing out periodically.
Glancing at his wrist watch he let his eyes widen and eyebrows raise. “Oh my...” He mummered just loud enough for the girl to inquire about it, “Oh I'm terribly sorry, I'm afraid I'll have to surrender this round. I had forgotten I was supposed to meet with an acquaintance in five minutes.”
The range of emotions from the table was laughable as most tried to put on a sad face and not all entirely succeeded. He had been winning quite a few games of blackjack while also betting high. It was no surprise there were mixed reactions.
Presenting them with a polite smile he stood, just as Yusuke rounded the corner, face beet red, hat askew and eyes panicked. “Kur- shit .” He couldn't remember the Fox's code name, “We need to go now !” He reached for Kurama's shoulder to drag him along but the fox maneuvered easily out of his reach.
“Calm yourself, we'll get there soon enough. I'm sure they'll forgive us for being a few minutes late.” Kurama flashed an apologetic smile to his table as he gathered things, Yusuke panicking and only keeping his mouth shut from a particularly stern look from Kurama. “You'll have to forgive him, he has an unusual thing for punctuality. All the same, I bid you all a good game.” And with a final smile he walked ahead of Yusuke in no particular hurry.
As soon as they rounded another corner Yusuke shot off like a bullet, snagging Kurama by the arm with a hissed “ They busted Kuwabara and I! They've got guys as huge as wrestlers out here after us!”
Kurama sighed, pulled his arm from Yusuke's and kept up with the ex-detective's pace. “I know that.”
Yusuke blinked, “You do? Then why the hell were you taking your sweet ass time?! ”
“Quiet Goku! Do try to remember where we are.” After a pause and they rounded the corner, feet gaining on them, Hiei flickered by their side.
“The dolts got caught already?”
“Hey!”
“Shush Vincent, Yes, they did.”
Hiei scowled, “I was making good money.”
“As was I. Goku where is Alfred?”
“How the hell should I know? We split to make it harder to get caught.”
“...of course you did.”
“What?”
“Well, what's done is done I suppose.”
“Just what the hell is that supposed to mean?!”
Kurama shook his head, black hair flying into his face. “We need to all be in contact with Jericho so he can transfer us back to the Spirit World.”
Yusuke scowled, throwing his hands up in the air, exasperated, “and why in the hell didn't anyone tell me this?!” As Kurama chuckled Yusuke shot him a glare and mumbled “bet it's all that pacifier breath's fault.”
“Actually, Goku, we did tell you.”
“You just have nothing between your ears to catch the words with.” Hiei shot him a smug look but before Yusuke could retaliate Kurama cut in,
“We'll simply make our way to Jericho and hope Alfred-”
Yusuke snickered at Kuwabara's choice of a codename.
“-has the same train of thought-”
Hiei snorted in disbelief.
“-and we'll all meet up and get out of this mess.”
“Hey! This is not my fault!”
“I never said it was Goku.”
Yusuke sidled brown eyes over to his disguised companion and found the green eyes sparkling with mirth. The damned fox! “You still think it though!” Yusuke scowled when Kurama said nothing and then shot a glare to Hiei who laughed at him. “Aw shut it! It was Kuw-ah-Alfred's fault! Couldn't keep his goddamn wig on!”
“OI! You talkin' smack about me Ura-crap! Sorry Ku-ah-I mean-Kenshin!”
Kuwabara had the good graces to look slightly abashed as Kurama pinned him with a look. Gulping he looked away, “So I finally ditched my guys but I'll take it by the running that you guys still have some on your tail?”
“Oh look, he can point out the obvious.”
“Shush Vincent,” Kurama smoothly stepped into the budding argument, “yes, we're trying to find Jericho but so far he's not been on this level or the next.” a pause and then to clarify, “it would also be unwise to run faster than a normal human. We want to avoid arising any... additional suspicion.”
“Oh.” Kuwabara furrowed his brows, narrowly avoided colliding into a woman and after stuttering out an apology to her, caught back up with the rest of the group. “Tried the stage yet?”
Kurama blinked.
“Hey- that brat sure loves the spotlight so yeah let's look there!” Yusuke flashed a grin at his best friend.
Kurama exchanged a weary look with Hiei who simply shrugged, a smirk tugging at his lips. 'You're the one who thought they could keep under the radar.'
Kurama sighed, 'I know, I know. But I had hoped...'
Hiei snorted a laugh causing the others to look over at him curiously and he glared them off.
Rounding up on the stage, sure enough, there- exactly where they had all been warned not to be- was Koenma, doing exactly what they had been told not to do- be the center of attention and stand out-.
Kurama pinched the bridge of his nose while Hiei silently laughed at the fox's expense.
“YO! PACIFIER BREATH!”
“GOKU!” Kurama jumped up, clamping a firm hand on Yusuke's shoulder and shoving him back down into the crowd. Hissing in his ear, Kurama demanded “What in the three worlds are you doing?”
It was too late though- Security, as well as the brown haired Koenma dancing with a number of pretty ladies, had all turned their attention to Yusuke, and by extension, their whole group.
“Dammit.”
Kurama sighed heavily. 'It's like watching four five year-olds, I swear.'
“No killing or maiming anyone.” He reminded them all, but mostly Hiei who grunted a reluctant affirmative. This was a human casino after all.
The security began boxing them in, radios working fabulously well on getting the others into position and Kurama whirled around, calculating before taking off without a word. Hiei was on his heels and after a bewildered moment, the two others followed suit.
“Woah-ah- Kur-ah-Kenshin-calm down now!”
Did he really have that murderous of a look on?
“There they are!”
“Kenshin let's talk about this rationally!” Koenma dodged backwards, upsetting the girls he was dancing on stage with, Kurama hot on his heels. Raising his hands in a plea Koenma tried again “Kenshin! Kenshin!”
Kurama finally snagged the prince by his red scarf and then with a shove, sent them both tumbling through the curtain on stage and behind it. With steely green eyes and a low, dark voice, Kurama spoke almost too calmly and pleasantly, “Jericho I highly suggest you teleport us. Now. ”
“That's a scary smile Kenshin.. and the others- oh.” Yusuke and Kuwabara, chests heaving and extremely panicked looks on their faces, tumbled through the curtain just as Hiei caught the Fox by his arm.
“What the hell Kur-Fox boy?!”
“Now, Jericho.”
“Ah- right!” And as Koenma pressed a button his watch, the two boys frantically jumped forward to grab either Kurama or Koenma and all who were touching warped suddenly before vanishing from the Human world and into the space between worlds.
Seconds later the security burst through the curtains, finding the space empty and dark.
“If you throw up on me you'll be sorry Kuwabara!”
“Aww shut it Urameshi! Ughhhh... Not my fault that the baby can't make it a smooth ride!”
“...If you both don't shut up, I'll do it for you.”
Definitely like four five year-olds.
Kurama glanced at the noticeably pale prince who couldn't conceal his unease at Kurama's tight grip still on his arm.
Three five year-olds and one toddler.