Author: Alatri ^..^ alatri@att.net
completed: March 1, 2005
Warning: none
Feedback: Comments, critiques, suggestions, etc, all welcome. ;-)
Disclaimer: Only mine in my dreams. ;-) This story was written for free entertainment purposes only and may not be reproduced for profit or altered without my permission.

A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I-J-K-L-M-N-O-P-Q-R-S-T-U-V-W-X-Y-Z

"A is for Apple," Yusuke dutifully repeated with the rest of the English class, while thinking that it was the stupidest way to learn a language he'd ever heard of.

Bored, he looked beyond his classmates heads to the windows where snow fairies were making patterns of frosty designs and playing with the snowflakes as they fell though the sky.

"Come out and play with us!" Dainty little female fairies called to him while the male ones either glared or also beckoned, depending on their preference.

Elemental spirits were fairly common in Japan, but the fairies were something new – an import from Western Europe, coming over on the planes and traveling as the humans did, seeing the sights of a new land, and changing things as they did.  For the native spirits weren't too happy about the invasion of their lands, particularly as most of them had been sealed off years ago in the other worlds and not allowed to cross over to the human realm.  Ghosts in Japan had become rare things, and it was part of Yusuke's job as a Spirit Detective to track down the renegade ones and return them behind the barrier.  However, what did he do about foreign fairies?  It was a question that Koenma hadn't answered yet, and so Yusuke could watch the snow fairies with a light heart and wish that he was out there, playing with them.

Just then, the bell rung, letting their class out with barely enough time to get to the next one.

Kuwabara came up to him as they walked down the halls.  "Let's skip, and go out and play with the fairies!"

Mostly because it was already what he wanted to do, Yusuke agreed.

"Nice…" Outside in the cold chill air, Kuwabara tilted his face up to the snow and let the flakes fall down on him.

"Pretty Humans!  Quick, come and see!"  Raining down on them like the warmer version of snow, fairies came from everywhere to dash around the humans, perching on them with every free spot, playing with their hair, playing tag with them as 'safe spots' and generally making it all up as they went along.  Snow fairies, evidently, liked to have fun.  That was something that Yusuke could agree with and join in with a glad heart.

"Uramishi!"

Vaulting onto a fence, Yusuke avoided Kuwabara's snowball and laughed, returning the volley from his higher position.

Winter days were shorter and long before they were ready, the day ended, with students from the school flocking out from their studies.  Xenophobic around normal humans, the fairies fled, with none but Kuwabara and Yusuke knowing they were ever there.

Youth might be as fleeting as the winter days, and life as short, but Yusuke was determined not to waste his second chance at what really matter – friends and fun.  Zephyrs floated the snowflakes by as Kuwabara met his gaze and they knew they agreed on this, together.