Disclaimer: I dont own Yu Yu Hakusho. I only own Kei.

Pairings: past Kurone/Kurama, implied future Hiei/Kurama


"Are you sure?"

"He still needs to agree-"

"He? Yukina is the one-" Hiei and Yukina glanced at each other and Hiei put Yukina on her feet. He had been sent to bring Yukina from the temple to the spirit world. Now that they were here, it was painfully obvious who the hot topic of conversation was amongst their friends. Hiei moved to open the door but Yukina but her hand in the crook of his elbow. He paused.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Yukina asked. Hiei paused and considered not answering- and for anyone else, he wouldn't have answered for, but this was his sister who didn't know she was his sister. She wasn't "anybody else."

"The only way to find out for sure is to go in," Hiei said. He raised an eyebrow when her hold on his arm wasn't relinquished but Yukina wasn't looking at him, she was looking anxiously at the door. Taking a deep breath when he realized she wasn't letting go, he pushed the doors open. The room quieted and everyone's attention turned towards the twins. Hiei's eyes flickered over every person in the room and then they narrowed.

"Where is Kurama?" he asked.

"That's why I've called you here," Koenma said. "Why don't you two take a seat?"

"There's one next to me, Yukina!" Kuwabara said excitedly. Yukina looked as if she were about to take the seat- and Hiei was sure she would have if he hadn't held his ground. He felt the gentle tug of her hand, signaling she wanted him to go with her. It was one thing he wouldn't give her at this moment.

"I'll stand. Now where's Kurama?" Hiei demanded. Koenma and Botan hesitated and so he turned to Yusuke. "Detective. Where. Is. He?" Yusuke looked up from his hands and eyed Hiei.

"Which one?" Yusuke asked.

"What do you mean 'which one'?" Hiei spat. "How many Kuramas are there?" Yusuke stood up and walked over to Hiei and Yukina. Without taking his eyes off of Hiei, Yusuke gently but firmly removed Yukina's hand from Hiei's arm. Hiei's hand instantly went to his sword, eyes staring warningly at Yusuke. His elbow of the arm holding his sheath was in front of Yukina, separating her and Yusuke. Yusuke held his free hand up and led Yukina to where Keiko and Botan were, on the opposite side of the room as Kuwabara, Hiei noted with dull pleasure.

"Detective, what's going on?" Hiei demanded.

"I'm not really sure but from what I understand, Kurama went on a trip and he's been gone longer for than what he told his mom. The reason is that his demon side has completely taken over," Yusuke said. Hiei stared at Yusuke. Yukina's eyes were wide open. Then a soft chuckle escaped Hiei before he threw his head back in a fit of laughter. Everyone stared at the fire demon as he gripped his sides in a laughing fit.

"Uh… Hiei?" Yusuke said. "There a joke you wanna let us in on?" Hiei's laughter quieted down to chuckles.

"I really hope you're joking, detective, because if you're not, well… some of us may as well just commit suicide," Hiei smirked. "Fine, I'll play along. How did Youko take over when Kurama is strong than he's ever been before? He's had two decades- more than. Why now?"

"Because he's been given a reason to revert back to Youko," Koenma said.

"Go on," Hiei said.

"Kuronue, Youko's old partner, has been brought back to life,"

"What?" Hiei demanded. Yusuke's hand rose to Hiei's shoulder, clamping down on the fire koorime's shoulder warningly as Hiei was about to pull his sword from his sheath and hold it to Koenma's throat. Suddenly, Yusuke wanting Yukina away from him and Koenma wanting them to sit down made more sense.

"Yukina-"

"Let go of me, Botan," the words were soft but spoken with authority. Hiei didn't dare look at his sister as she made her way over to him and placed her hand on his, the one on the hilt of his sword. He shook with anger but didn't dare move. "Hiei, I understand you're upset… but shouldn't you listen to them first before drawing your weapon? What will violence solve?" Hiei stood shaking with anger for a few moments longer before he relaxed his stance and stood up straight, still shaking with undisguised anger.

"Why is he alive?" Hiei demanded.

"We don't know," Koenma said. There was a tense silence before Hiei exploded.

"You don't know? What do you mean, you don't know?"Yusuke had never removed his hand off of Hiei's shoulder, and it was a good thing because otherwise, Hiei's sword might have very well ended up in Koenma's throat.

"Hiei! What did Yukina say about violence being bad?" Yusuke demanded. "Calm down, you're scaring everyone! You're scaring Yukina!" Hiei froze and slowly dared to look at his twin, who was staring at him with wide eyes. He felt Yusuke's grip hesitantly loosen. Hiei flitted to the corner of the room, crossing his arms and glaring at Koenma. Yusuke gestured for Koenma to continue.

"Err, yes, well… we don't know how he's alive but we think we know someone who might," Koenma said, pointing towards the screen. Hiei frowned and turned his attention towards it.

"Who is he?"

"His name is Kei. There isn't too much known about him," Botan said, voice trembling slightly when Hiei looked at her. "But what we do know is that he's old."

"How old?" Hiei asked with a roll of his eyes, since she paused and it seemed like the appropriate response.

"Old enough to have known Youko Kurama," Botan said and Hiei's eyes sparked in recognition.

"And if he ran with Youko, he ran with Yomi," Hiei said.

"Exactly! So- Hiei, wait, where are you going? You can't leave yet!" Botan said.

"And why not?" Hiei growled, his demonic energy leaking out, just daring someone to stop him. Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged glances. They both knew nothing was keeping Hiei in the human world at this very second.

"Because while this Kei person is responsible for bringing Kuronue back to life and making Kurama turn all demonic and stuff," Kuwabara said. "Kurama's not with him anymore." Hiei looked at Kuwabara with annoyed interest, wondering where the human was going with his train of thought.

"That's why we asked you to bring Yukina, Hiei," Yusuke said, turning to Yukina. "We need a way to draw him out, and since he knows he can break into Spirit World, the only thing we can think of would be the hiraseki stones your mother cried for you and your brother." Hiei and Yukina both froze visibly and everyone held their breath.

"You don't have to decide yet," Botan added hastily when it seemed neither of the twins were going to speak up anytime soon and looking more torn than anyone had ever seen them. "We still need to see Yomi and find out about Kei." Yusuke moved closer to Hiei.

"Look, maybe you should stay here with Yukina and figure out what you want to do," Yusuke said quietly but Hiei shook his head.

"It's her decision," Hiei said. "Now are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, let's go," Yusuke nodded.

"Hey, I'm coming too!" Kuwabara said. "Kurama's my friend too!"

"But Yomi isn't," Yusuke said. "Look, Kuwabara, the only thing Yomi hates more than me is humans and-"

"And he will be more difficult to talk to if you're there. Not to mention you'll slow us down," Hiei took over. "Stay here with Yukina. Don't let these fools talk her into something she doesn't want- I don't care if it is for Kurama or not," He turned on his heel and stalked out. Kuwabara and Yusuke stared after him before Yusuke regained his senses first.

"You heard ol' three eyes. Watch her," Yusuke grinned before jogging out. Kuwabara stared after the two before he turned to everyone else.

"So… I think he trusts me now," Kuwabara said.


Yusuke began running before Hiei once they entered the Makai because he knew he'd need the head start, and sure enough, Hiei could be seen in front of him, running as fast as he could without leaving Yusuke behind in the dust. Yusuke cursed Hiei's speed silently in his head, wondering just how the fire demon had gotten so fast.

Staring at the demon's back, Yusuke couldn't help but feel something was missing. Of course he knew it was Kurama missing from Hiei's side- both demons were rarely seen without the other- actually, scratch that, Yusuke didn't remember the last time he'd seen ne without the other. He felt like he should take a picture, and then face Hiei's wrath.

Hiei stopped suddenly; hand on his sword and Yusuke, knowing he wouldn't have enough time to stop without crashing into Hiei, jumped and somersaulted over him, fingers already poised in his spirit gun position and firing when he saw the demons gathered around. He didn't need to turn around to hear the slaughter Hiei was causing behind him. He side stepped a demon attacking him and kicked its head in. He felt Hiei's energy as the demon lasted next to him and trusting Hiei to watch his back, Yusuke whipped around and pointed his spirit gun at the new source of energy.

"Yomi," Yusuke said, "Not exactly a warm welcome."

"Well, you can't be too careful now can we, son of Raizen?" Yomi smiled pleasantly. "I am sorry. I didn't recognize your energy at first."

"That's a load of-" Yusuke growled but Hiei stepped in front of him.

"We didn't come here to argue," Hiei said. "We have more pressing matters at hand." Yusuke stared at Hiei, wondering if that was really the fire demon he knew.

"Oh? What matters could bring the heirs of Raizen and Mukuro to my land?" Yomi asked. "This is a rare treat indeed. But where is Kurama? I'd thought that if you had matters concerning me, you'd bring him along to… smooth things over." Yusuke and Hiei exchanged glances.

"Kurama's demon side has taken over his human side completely," Yusuke said. Yomi tilted his head.

"And you come running to me because…?"

"Because his old partner Kuronue has also been brought back to life," Hiei said. "We believe that another old acquaintance of yours- Kei- knows something." But Yomi seemed to only hear the first part.

"Kuronue… is alive?" Yomi growled out.

"Uh, yeah…?" Yusuke said. "We just-" Yomi's hand slammed into a tree, making the thing fall to the ground. Yomi turned around and stalked away. Yusuke and Hiei exchanged glances before following him.

"So… do you think he's mad?" Yusuke asked. Hiei just fixed Yusuke with a glare.


Yomi had cleared his advisors out of the room, offering Hiei and Yusuke a seat, which only Yusuke took. Hiei leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. Yomi folded his hand together, no doubt pondering on how and what he was going to tell him,

"Well come on, we don't exactly have a lot of time," Yusuke said. Hiei's stance changed subtly, no doubt bracing himself incase Yomi decided he'd had enough of Yusuke.

"Impudent as ever, I see. Very well, seeing as it is Kurama we're talking about. But first, I must know, Hiei, what is your relationship with Kurama?" Yomi asked.

"They're friends," Yusuke glared. Yomi somehow managed to look at Hiei directly despite being blind.

"Interesting. Your heart rate sped up. Yusuke has no reason to lie… and he isn't. So that means he doesn't know," Yomi said. "So why don't you tell us, Hiei?"