AN: ok, just like i promised, here's the next part of the Savin Me series. this chapter is just a prologue, but it will get a great deal more intense in the next chapter, i promise.

many thanks to my beta reader for catching the many stupid little mistakes i made while writing this.

Kurama sighed. Of all the courses at his school, this one had to be his least favorite.

Gym class.

Now, one would think that this would be his favorite, given that he is outside with the plants and, being a fox, would love to run. They would be right, if they thought that he was still in Makai. But being that he was still masquerading as a human, he had to restrain himself to levels that would be acceptable to them.

This rather put a damper on things, if you asked Kurama.

Of course, if it had been Yusuke or Kuwabara, or hell, even Hiei, none of them would be able to restrict themselves so. They always had to show that they were the best at whatever it was that they did. They always pushed themselves, even when they were well past their limits, Yusuke and Hiei in particular.

Kurama frowned lightly. Thinking about Hiei and limits always made him think back to that terrifying moment when he'd thought that his young friend had been killed on that bogus mission.

A nudge from beside him drew his attention. Belatedly, he realized that his sensei was calling him. Looking up with a properly contrite expression on his face, he apologized.

His sensei frowned, looking him over. "Is something wrong, Minamino? You seem distracted, and that's not like you."

It was true. Kurama had always paid attention in class, and only allowed himself to recede into his own mind once he'd finished his work. That was not the case here.

Kurama shook his head, his hair swaying in front of his eyes, effectively shielding his expression from the sensei. "No, sensei, there is nothing wrong." A sudden flash of insight came to him, a legitimate excuse for his spacing out. "I'm just worried about a friend of mine."

The gym teacher raised an eyebrow. From what he'd seen, Minamino didn't really have many friends. Admirers and worshippers, yes. But no friends. "Oh? Who is he? What's wrong with him?" He looked out of the corner of his eye to see many of the other students listening in.

Kurama sighed. "You wouldn't know him, I'm afraid. He doesn't go to this school." 'Or any school for that matter, but I don't think he needs to know that.' "He was injured recently, and isn't exactly known for being patient." He added a hopeless shrug for extra effect. "I haven't been able to go and check on him recently, so I'm not sure how he's doing. I'm afraid that he'll reopen his wound if he doesn't take it easy, but he won't listen to anything I say." Kurama smirked mentally. 'Not that I haven't taken that into account, given the fact that he should still be restrained right now at Master Genkai's temple.'

Of course, if Hiei ever found out that Kurama was using the fact that Hiei had almost died as an excuse, the fox had no doubts about how the fire demon would react. Hiei would likely come down the next time he could and reveal that Kurama was over-exaggerating the situation. Which would, in turn, get Kurama in major trouble with his teachers.

Kurama thoughts were, thankfully, halted when the sensei looked at him with sight pity and placed his hand on Kurama's shoulder.

"I see." He said. "I'll tell you what, Minamino. Your grades are always exceptional, so why don't you go and check up on your friend. You probably won't be able to focus until you know he's alright." At Kurama's blank expression, he chuckled. "You don't show such worry normally, so I imagine that you must have been quite scared when this friend of yours was injured." He used his hands on Kurama's shoulders to propel him towards the school building. "Go ahead. I'll tell the other teachers what's going on." The teacher turned back to the rest of the class, leaving Kurama no choice but to obey.

Walking slowly back to the school, Kurama tried to figure what just happened. It seemed that his teachers knew that Kurama didn't actually show how he really felt to the rest of the school. Being understood like this, by someone who wasn't even remotely close to him, was rather unsettling. Still, this meant that he could leave and check up on Hiei who was, judging by the bursts of energy he could sense through the faint mental link that still remained, attempting to escape from his bonds. It was all a little too predictable, given how Hiei hated being restrained. No doubt he'd attack the fox as soon as he was released.

Kurama shrugged, deciding to make the most out of this opportunity. He hadn't had a decent fight recently, and he had a couple of new attacks that he was eager to test against a worthy adversary. Hiei more than fit that description.

So it was with a little grin and an eager attitude that Kurama grabbed all of his things, and rushed off the school grounds.

Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy figure detached itself from the alleyway nearby to watch him run in the direction of Genkai's temple.

"Well, well, I finally found you fox. You foiled my plans the last time, but this time even you won't be able to squirm your way out. Oh no, my plan is too perfect."

Dark laughter filled the air. If Kurama, or any of the Tantei for that matter, had been able to hear it, they would have felt a cold shiver run down their spines at the pure, evil intent held in that laugh.

Moments later, there was silence, the mysterious figure gone.

AN: so, how do you like it? like i said before, this is a prologue and the real crazy stuff starts next chapter, which should be up sometime next week.