Hello again! I would like to thank moommilk for the amazing review. I'm really excited for this chapter to answer some questions and give depth to the characters! I hope you enjoy and please review. LilC

Disclaimer: I do not own the plot line of Yu Yu Hakusho or any characters within, I do own my characters and plot


"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

but I have promises to keep and miles to go before

I can sleep" -Robert Frost

My leg was on fire when I walked into my human realm home, it was close to 4:00am I was dazed and confused as I stumbled through the door, and my aching head caused even the simplest of sounds to feel colossal and deafening. Once I made it to the bathroom with a disgraceful lack of stealth I stripped away the armor and clothing so I was left in a dark tank top with my undergarments, upon greater inspection of the wound, it wasn't the laceration, but the poison injected that was reeking true harm on my insides. It was a special type of toxin that attacked the blood and immune system, the fact he had that type of substance on hand must've been luck or he was truly a sick man. I started cleaning the wound with the detachable shower head, the warm water burning and irritating the skin and muscles as it took the dirt and debris with it. How could I let this happen, and be so careless? He was supposed to be another target and job to carry out but something seemed off about the entire situation and I couldn't bring myself to take on consequences I did not fully understand. Lost in my own train of thought and self-loathing I didn't hear her approach.

"What the hell?" I looked up to see my roommate and also best friend looking at me, the sight before her was a strange one. I was never one to be overpowered and forced to flee.

"Oh hey Marzia, I'm back" I smiled giving her a small wave; her mouth was still open with a quizzical look on her face.

"Wha- why- are you okay?!" Marzia whispered. She didn't want to wake her sleeping daughter only rooms away. Marzia was taller than I, almost by a half a head. She had a slightly curvy form but still very fit, wrapped in a soft pink robe. Her bright turquoise hair was up in a messy bun and her dark, brown eyes held shock and worry.

"Oh yeah, I'm good those god damn sprit detectives caught me off guard." I explained as Marzia looked stunned.

"What? They're after you!? But they haven't been active for years now! " She exclaimed "Oh my god, who did you piss off?"

"Zurui has ordered me to kill Koenma." Letting out an exhausted sigh, I continued. "The SDF raided one of his compounds and took a lot of the slaves and arrested a ton of his men. He is very upset." I said nonchalantly cleaning my bleeding leg.

Marzia replied, "But you can't kill him! He's leader of the spirit world, so even if they don't catch you now you will be imprisoned in the afterlife. Not to mention that he's already a spirit, these orders make no sense."

"I know. I believe there are greater powers at work here, maybe even controlling Zurui. I have been stalling for a few months now to try and get a grip of the situation, but still had to kill a lot of ogres so he wouldn't get suspicious. But now I have those assholes after me." I tossed my hand up in the air out of frustration. "I had him too, I was going to kill him with the detectives as witnesses, but I just couldn't do it. I don't know what the fuck happened, but it damn near cost me my life. I have never been so foolish."

Marzia sighed, "Empathy, I hear, its deadly now a days." She smiled. "But, anyway let me fix your leg." I ignored her sarcastic comment as she sat next to me. A blue light came from her hands over my wound, almost instantly it felt better. Marzia was an ice apparition and was also a very talented healer. She quickly healed my wounds.

Marzia and I had met on Hanging Neck Island during the dark tournament 12 years previous. I have been a slave to Zurui for well over a hundred years now so I had gained a pretty good reputation; I was ordered to exterminate some poor human gamblers. Taking care of them in a very dramatic and tasteless way I became bored and wandered into the woods and met up with a very distraught and vulnerable Marzia. Being an ice maiden I thought about taking her to Zurui and making some profit. She had been being beaten for her priceless tears by Gonzo Tarukane. Her escape was possible because of the commotion of his death. She had no fighting skills but her healing powers were impressive, for some reason I sat and we had talked for hours and she had come up with a deal, she would offer her service of healing if I offered mine of protection, and also a way to human realm. I made a judgment call and helped her which had become a very useful partnership and friendship. I had kept her a secret from Zurui and planned to keep it that way.

A few years passed and I was fighting a wizard in Makai that had somehow created stones that could keep your demon energy hidden and even change your appearance to blend in, he called them 'moon stones' and I intended to leave with a pair. After a few hours of beatings he joyously agreed. With the stones it was very easy to live undetected and pass through portals without a hitch, I would visit Marzia every so often to see how she was adjusting. Marzia soon made a life for herself marrying an Irish man named Fletcher and a year later having a baby girl named Maya. She was finally happy, invisible and safe, her and Fletcher were happily married for a few years before he was killed in a car accident, leaving her to raise her 4 year old alone, she was suffering from depression because she couldn't save him in the end. I would make more frequent and lengthy visits to help her. But after I got this mission I knew things were about to get complicated.

"There you go!" Mariza said. "The poison will still be affecting you slightly so try not to attack anyone, please?" She gave me a hug, "Glad you made it back. Now wash up before you destroy my house."

"Alright, Alright." I laughed and she left me to my shower. The warm water felt amazing on my sore muscles. Drying my hair, I looked at my reflection, my bright blonde hair was past my waist in a wild wet mess, my eyes were still the same blue, and my skin was soft and light with no marks or scars. I was only 5'0, as a cat demon I'm average for a female the males are usually 5'3 to 5'5, my culture was used to living in the trees and hiding.

Taking off my stone, my appearance changed back. Running my hands over the many scars across my stomach and chest, they were cluttered about, some long marks others just burns, the worst of it was on my back, long gouges sprouted from my spine in all directions. It's as if someone was attempting to draw wings and gave up half way and started to scribble. The ritual they used to create me was unknown, and they had been all killed so I may never know the true extent of what they did. The only information I have gathered was it was forbidden and I was an abomination. Which had always made me laugh; call me an abomination and a disgrace all you want, I can still tear out your heart. Truthfully I just wanted to disappear and never be seen again, away from my slavery and away from my scars, but my obligations hindered those thoughts. Gathering my things, and placing my stone necklace back around my neck, I walked to my bedroom in a towel; the room was decorated in light purples and whites, with a queen sized bed and night stand. It was a simple and nice room, it had no personal touches whatsoever, never wanted anything to be traceable. Putting on my pajamas I pulled back the lavender comforter, crawled into the bed, the cotton sheets felt wonderful upon my exhausted body.

I awoke a few hours later to sunlight filling the room with a comforting hue, stretching out I could feel my muscles ache. There was a small bathroom off to the side of the room, Marzia and Fletcher had built this home from scratch and was rather large, five bedrooms in total. Fletcher was very fond of western culture and had it build into what they called a ranch style. Brushing out my blonde locks and cleaning up, I decided on very flowing red and flower print sundress. It rested right above the knee, pairing it with knee high tan boots, letting my hair down and naturally I darkened my eyes with eyeliner and mascara. I could hear Mayas small footsteps running around outside my door, obviously ready for the grown-ups to entertain her. The walls were painted in all natural colors with pops of color around and pictures of her family were hung and about. Marzia had taken down all pictures of her past husband only one or two were still in the home. He had been gone now for over a year but it seems the grieving was still very apparent. Strolling into the kitchen I was quickly bombarded with a small body.

"Rei, Rei!" Maya yelled as she squashed me with all her might

"Missed you too little monster!" I teased. Maya was a little over 4 years old now and looked more and more like her mother every day, her hair was coming in very soft turquoise and was up in two braids and her light green eyes were alive with excitement.

"Okay, Maya let her go, you need to finish your breakfast." Marzia chimed in.

"Yeah and if you don't, she will finish you!" I whispered into her ear, she squealed and returned to her seat at the table. She hiked up her pink sundress to show me her princess underwear; Marzia shook her head with a smile.

I stood up and walked over to Marzia, who was standing by the counter with coffee in hand. I poured myself a cup and leaned next to her. The windows in the kitchen were open letting the warm air and sounds of nature pour in.

"Man, feelin' old today." I stated, she let out a laugh

"Ha, I can feel you there, but its Saturday so we have the little monster "Alll day." She drew out the words to intensify the grief we will endure over the next twelve hours dealing with a toddler. "But on a different note, what's your next move with the spirit detectives?" Marzia looked over to me, she was wearing her moonstone around her wrist, and her beautiful turquoise hair was switched to shoulder length sandy, brown hair with a soft wave to it and bangs framed her face her dark eyes stayed. She was wearing a sundress also; hers was bright yellow with a brown leather belt around her small waist and thin strapped brown sandals.

"I have no idea to be honest. I meet with Zurui on Monday so I have until then to come up with a good excuse why Koenma is still breathing." I stated letting out a sigh, we both took a drink.

"Did any of them see your human form?" Marzia asked.

"Only one, for a second, Hiei the fire demon was pretty close on my heels the whole time."

"Oh, only the fastest one and the one with the Jagan, ah, I'm sure you will be fine." I laughed, her sarcasm was amusing.

"Yeah I know, let's just get through the day."

The spring air felt amazing on my skin, a soft breeze playing with my hair, human world smelled so much better than Makai, no rotting flesh of the sadness of war and torture. Everything was green and lush as we walked into town. Marzia's home was within a few blocks of almost everything in the town. The sky was a clear blue and the energy around us felt happy and alive, people were rushed and crowed around us but all seemed to have a happy smiling energy to them. The park we stopped at was lush and full of laughter, Maya soon ran off to be with the rest of the children on the large and colorful play palace, we took our seats on a bench in the shade in relaxed silence as we watched her have the time of her life. Marzia leaned back, stretched and spoke.

"So, what do you plan on doing?" It was a loaded question, and she knew, that I knew exactly what she was asking. She was referring to my entrapment with Zurui, it was a complex and foul situation, I had been his 'personal' girl and assassin for a good portion of my life, and he was immune to my blood magic so I was basically a powerless rag doll to him. My mind is always on a means of escape, but realistically I was trapped. I let out a defeated laugh, leaning over I rested my elbows on my knees, and my hair fell around me as I searched for something to say.

"It's always up in the air, I guess. Everything is going to come to a head at some point and I will hopefully be free or killed." She was looking at me with displeasure as I spoke.

"That's a realistic answer, but not one I would like to hear." Marzia stated. "I would like nothing more for you than to be happy and free, just like the life you have helped me achieve. That can only happen if you learn how to dodge." She looked down at my leg.

"Very, very true, if I get taken out by some asshole with a lucky aim I am going to be so pissed." I said with a laugh.

We talked some more before she gathered up Maya from her play haven, after stopping for lunch at a small restaurant we were making our way back home. Maya started jumping and pointing at a mass amount of full and beautiful flowers covering close to the entire sidewalk, the smell itself was intoxicating it made you feel like you were walking in a floral paradise.

"What the hell is this place?" I said looking over to Marzia, who looked just as stunned and excited as I.

"Not sure, for some reason I have never noticed this place." she replied as Maya ran off surprising her, reaching out she tried to corral her child. A huge surge of demon energy flew up my spine making me straighten instantly and take in a sharp breath. I tried to look natural as I took in my surroundings, demons this powerful are usually not allowed to live among humans, I looked up to see Marzia who had ran into and was now talking to none other than Kurama.

"What the-" my thoughts were cut short just as Hiei walked around the corner, making eye contact "this is going to get interesting."


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