Gliding along the rooftops of the city, Hiei was searching for the detective as instructed by Reikai. Koenma and his stupid errands, he could have easily delivered the next mission to Yusuke, but no, for some reason he decided to call upon the demon instead. There was no excuse for idiocy. Hiei didn't want to be Koenma's little dog, but at this point he didn't have much of a choice. This was all meant to be a distraction from the assignment, a way to keep the swordsman from ever finding out about it, however, Hiei had already informed himself and planned on having it complete long before Yusuke had a chance. He didn't need any help, not even from Kurama or San.

The thought of the wolf and her predicament was intriguing. Ever since he had gone to the deepest pits of her mind in order to gain the knowledge of her true identity, Hiei had constantly wondered if he should divulge the information to Kurama. What intrigued him was the way she was adamant that no one know who she was, not even the fox she was blindly following around. San didn't know who the fox really was, made obvious by the distance between them and yet, Hiei couldn't help but wonder why exactly she hadn't revealed herself. The final decision was to let it play out, seeing how long it would take for either of them to discover the other. At least he would have some entertainment that way, and he could use San for something if it turned out he really needed it.

The fire apparitions thoughts halted as soon as he could smell the detective near him and turned so that he would head him off. The very idea that Reikai would hide this from him was enraging. No matter, Koenma couldn't stop him from getting a head start.

Yukina...

...

"You're sure it was wise to send Hiei instead?" asked Kurama.

The fox was inside of Koenma's office, had been called in for a meeting only to find out that the fire apparition was giving Yusuke his next mission. Kurama knew that wasn't the reason he was called in, however, he was surprised to find out the lack of care in regards to the task at hand. Anything that involved Hiei's sister was a death sentence and Koenma should know that. Still, it wasn't the true reason he was here. Aside from needing his insight to understand Hiei, San had informed Koenma that anyone looking for her was to be told that she had passed. And by looking for her she meant Moriko, which meant that he had to deceive Kurama - for the time being = by telling him that his mate had died. This information meant that the two of them had no idea what sort of beasts laid dormant inside the human façade despite all the time they spent together. The attraction between them wasn't surprising, but San would know if something was said and Koenma needed her to help with Yusuke.

"It'll be hours before Hiei figures out the true nature of the next assignment," replied Koenma.

"You're underestimating him, a bad move on your end."

"I have faith that Yusuke will have this complete well before Hiei finds out. It's just a gamble about whether or not he kills any humans along the way."

"Hiei should be well enough to avoid such things."

"You'd better hope so, if he screws up, you take the punishment as well."

"I'm well aware of the consequences."

"There's... something else I need to tell you..." Koenma paused.

The young ruler sighed heavily, not entirely sure how to word this in a way to soften the blow. While he may not have met the two until now, he was well aware of the nature of their relationship. All Reikai was, it was something that garnered attention even though the two of them lived in their own little world. To see them separated now and knowing that this was only going to break Kurama well... it wasn't easy, even if it was only temporary.

"Yes?" Kurama waited patiently, wondering what why Koenma had faltered.

"It's about Moriko. The other day she passed through here..."

"And?" Kurama focused on Koenma.

"She passed through here as a spirit. I... I placed her myself..."

The impact of those words sent a shock through his whole body. Kurama heard the wail of Youko in his mind, a sound he wished to never hear again. The boy himself felt that he lost someone precious, that a part of him had died, never to return. A tear slid down his face. Moriko... The pain, he hadn't felt such agony like this in 15 years, but it felt much worse than he remembered. It was almost like suffocating, hard to breathe the very air around him.

"Kurama?" questioned Koenma.

The young ruler knew there was no way to console this boy right now. If there was another way around hit, Koenma would have gladly taken it, knowing that Reikai and Yusuke needed the wit of this fox. It was a major asset to their side.

"Forgive me, I... I must go."

Kurama stood and left the room, very aware of Koenma's gaze but not allowing anything else to be said. In truth, he didn't know where he was going, he just needed to go. As he crossed the doors his heart was heavy knowing that Moriko was here, she walked through these doors, as a spirit. The thought stung just like it did when he first heard the words and the rest of the journey back to Ningenkai was a blur. As soon as he touched the solid earth he started to run, pent-up tears falling freely. Kurama was running at demon speed, desperate to leave behind his grief. Deep into the forest he continued his journey, unable to escape the pain, the reality of what he just learned. The void left in his heart was unbearable and he would do anything to make it go away.

Kurama stopped at the top of a mountain, wiping the tears from his face. It didn't matter how far or how fast he ran, he could never escape the truth that plunged into him like a knife, body filling with anguish that made his knees wish to cave in. The words constantly replayed in his head, unbearable each time and then he screamed. He screamed as loud as he can for all the nothing in front of and inside him to hear. He screamed for all the pain, the emptiness left in his heart that began to consume him, the agony in his being that reverberated back at him as if to torment and threatening to rip away the last of his sanity.

"My heart once made that sound when I was separated from my mate and it did again when I realized my kids were no longer with me and now here you stand, making the same one. Care to tell me what's going on?"

The sound of San's voice was behind him, bringing with it misery. Kurama clenched his jaw, his fist tightening at his side and remained with hsi back to her, unable to face that unblinking tawny stare. It reminded him too much of his beloved that he would never see again. That thought alone made more tears well in the bottom of his eyes. He'd never cried before in his life and wasn't sure he could stop now.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" she asked, truly curious about this odd behaviour.

Kurama remained silent, unwilling to speak the words. Once it was said out loud, there was no taking it back and he wasn't quite sure he could handle the intensity that came with it. A hand was placed on his shoulder, making his body rigid and seeing his beloved at her touch as always.

"My mate... she... she has passed."

The words came out ragged, the fox uncertain of a time he was so defeated before now. San couldn't say she felt his pain, but it hurt to hear that his mate was dead because that meant he wasn't Youko after all. The wolf let out an inaudible sigh, stepping around so that she was in front of him and encircling her arms around him. The two of them may not be mated as she once thought, however, he was still her friend and she enjoyed his company, feeling a compulsion to comfort him in his time of need. To her surprise, he hugged her back, tightly and he reminded her so of Youko, how he would hold her when there was something wrong. San was gentle, like Moriko, and she made him feel as if his beloved wasn't really gone. They stayed like that, wrapped up in each other for as long as needed.

San pulled back, offering a sad smile. When he looked into her tawny eyes it nearly killed him and she was struck by the raw emotion in his emerald hues reflecting back at her. The only thing that set her off was the flash of gold, almost as if it were a warning. Was he getting closer? He was, and in another life she may have welcomed his kiss, however, she was mated for eternity. For all she knew, he was still out there somewhere and she would never betray him. San turned her head, and his lips were met with her soft her cheek. It was only then he realized his terrible mistake.

"Forgive me, that was terribly inappropriate. I'm not sure what came over me," he apologized, taking a step back from her.

"Hiei is approaching," she stated, deciding it was better to change the subject.

"Hiei? Coming here?"

"Yes. You didn't notice that you were near Yukina?"

"No, I...," he sighed, "I seem to have lost myself for a moment."

"Well, he's in the house, about to kill a human, I'd say we better move. Think you can keep up?"

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, happy for the distraction, "After experiencing you run as a wolf, we'll see how much slower you are in your human form."

"No need to get cocky now," and with that, she took off.

Pushing aside his pain for the time being, Kurama took off after San. If Hiei killed the human responsible for imprisoning his sister then Kurama was convicted along with him and he wasn't going to let that happen, even if the monster deserved to die. The two of them arrived just as Yukina had stopped Hiei from further harming her captor. San held a finger to her lips, making it possible for the two of them to talk uninterrupted. The very idea of having the two of them in the same room was intriguing, to say the least, and the wolf wanted to know how exactly how they would interact.

"You look familiar, do I know you?" Yukina asked Hiei.

"I'm no one," his tone was darker than usual.

"Well thank you for saving me. Oh no!" her attention was drawn to Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan.

The wolf's tawny eyes followed Yukina until she was out of the room. It was only then the two demons stepped out from the shadows, falling in beside Hiei as San looked out over the glass to see the damage done. Her heart nearly stopped when her eyes laid upon the man unconscious on the ground, eyes wide in disbelief. There was no way this was possible.

"San?" both apparitions had noticed her tense, Kurama inquiring curiously.

"Toguro..." her voice ghosted, barely audible.

Most youki knew of him, knew of his strength, but only she and Genkai knew the real story behind him and how he acquired his powers. The man was a force to be reckoned with, and she knew that Yusuke and Kuwabara were nowhere near powerful enough to defeat him. Moving before she knew it, San had to figure out what he was doing here and if he was really dead. Yusuke and Botan had come up to join Kurama and Hiei, leaving Yukina and Kuwabara by themselves with the supposed dead Toguro brothers. San had to know, she had to make sure, she didn't want him coming back for them - any of them. The voices were all distant, fading away while her tawny gaze fixated on the giant mass of unmoving Toguro in front of her, patiently waiting for the others to leave the area. Thankfully, it wasn't long though she noted that Kurama stayed behind as well.

"What is it San?" he asked, waiting for a reaction from her.

"I just... can't believe that they're here. I have to make sure they're dead, I can't walk away without knowing," she explained.

"Understood. Let's go have a look," he replied, grabbing her arm gently and leading her closer.

His touch always shocked her, and put the image of Youko in her mind. Once they arrived, Kurama watched as she walked up to Toguro, kneeling down beside him. San was intent on his face, still unbelieving that he was here in the flesh. Tentatively, she put two fingers to the vital on his neck, checking for a pulse. The moment she touched him a vision came through, drawing in a sharp breath. There she was on the sidelines of a ring, and fighting, was him, Youko. He was fighting in what looked like a tournament... the Dark Tournament. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Botan, Keiko, Koenma, Yukina, a masked fighter and a tall girl she didn't recognize were all around her. They were focused on the fight in front of them. Youko started to shimmer, and it looked like he was changing but she was taken out of the vision at that time. San was breathing heavily, nearly trembling at what she saw.

"San? Are you alright?" Kurama was there, comforting as always.

"I... had a vision..." she trailed, not comprehending that she was going to see Youko, and somehow Toguro was going to lead her to him.

This meant that clearly he was not dead and she was unable to interfere with fate - especially if it brought her to her mate.

"You are... a seer?" asked Kurama, making another note of a similarity between her and Moriko.

"I guess? I've always had visions, even as a demon."

"What did you see?"

A warm smile took over her face, rising up to her full height and then turning to look at the teenage boy behind her. San was so happy she could burst and it was evident he was confused by such an expression.

"I saw him," she said, "My mate. He'll be..." and then it hit her, the severity of the situation that they were about to embark upon, "He'll be at the Dark Tournament..."

"The Dark Tournament? Are you certain?"

"I'm very sure. We should probably get out of here, I suspect he'll be waking up soon."

"Perhaps Koenma should be informed of this."

"He'll know soon enough, trust me. Now let's move."

.*.*.

She walks along the street, shopping for some food. It's difficult to procure items in Makai, human being the main meal for youki. This village was different, it was managed mostly by animal spirits making it easy to find what she needed. The bandits following her were out of sight, however, their stench invaded her nostrils and made her nauseous. She leads them away from her shopping, past a tall drunk youki and into an alleyway. These underlings are no match for her and she welcomes the fun she can have with them.

"Nice tail," the leader gives a knowing smirk to his lackies.

Idiot. A malicious smile takes over her face, aching to get this started.

"What's goin' on here then? Are these creeps botherin' you sheila?" the accented voice of the drunk comes into the alleyway.

"Leave, this one is ours."

"Oh really? From the looks of things she's already been marked by another demon, I suggest you mind yer own business. Go on, off with yeh then," and he takes more to drink.

A brow quirks, curious as to what he's going to do and knowing that he means her no harm by the respect he showed to her mark. The gesture for help is appreciated, even if he deems her inferior. The idiots get started, and the drunken master is too quick for them. She understands his power, and knowing he does not need it, shows him what she can do. He looks impressed, as the two demons lay dead on the ground before them.

"Good fightin' sheila. I'm Chu," he turns to her, extending a hand.

"Moriko. Thank you for the help. I must be getting back to my mate now."

"Let's hope to see you around."

...

"Beloved, are you having trouble?" he questions her, watching as she holds her head, face in distress.

"A vision..." she trails, sitting down in their makeshift den.

"What did you see?"

Walking over to her and taking her in his arms, he kisses the top of her head, knowing this vision was troubling her.

"The demon hunters, they are going to come for us. We will run, narrowly escaping them. We run to the world of the living and are separated. You reside in an unborn fetus, saving its life. I fall, possibly to my death. The only thing that is certain... our young die, even if I am to survive," she explains, burrowing her face into his chest and shedding tears.

Her pain weights heavy upon him, the shock of her words compelling him to hold her tighter. The salt of her tears in his nostrils makes him feel inadequate, unable to protect her from her own powers. Losing their young was something he wasn't certain she could recover from, no matter the strength she carried. He brings his hand to her swollen abdomen, feeling the lives within her.

"Koishii, I will not let such events take place. If we do happen to separate, I will search the ends of this world and the next to find you, and I will not rest until you are safe with me again. I love you Moriko, I will do everything to protect the pack and our young."

She kisses him, passionately, "I love you my precious kitsune. I just hope that this does not come true."

"We control our future, never forget that."

.*.*.

San would never forget that. Though they may control the future, it seems that all events occur in the way of her visions coming true. There was only one she altered in the many years she had been having them. After always having them for some long there was no choice left but to trust them. Besides, if this one meant seeing Youko again, being reunited with him, then she would do everything possible to make it happen. As she rose out of bed to get ready to see Kurama today, she had a sense of dread. The knowledge of Toguro still weighed heavily upon her, Genkai's ignorance the case only for a few mere moments since the master of the temple being asleep when she arrived home. The wolf would not hide this, there was no way to do so. Yusuke was her student, Genkai had to train him accordingly if there was ever a chance to beat him.

The blond left her room and went into the kitchen. Breakfast was already made, but the atmosphere in the room was not what she was used to. San could sense something was wrong and had no idea how to begin or if she should even ask. It didn't matter, demons were approaching and they were far from typical in Ningenkai. These ones were special. The door opened without a knock though they did not breach the barrier of the entrance. San knew that Genkai could defend herself but nevertheless, she tensed, getting into a defensive stance.

"Master Genkai," the woman greeted calmly.

"Say what you need and get out," Genkai's raspy voice was hard, not even looking up.

"We've come to invite you to the Dark Tournament."

"Then you're dumber than you look. I made my wish, leave me be."

"Because of your wish, it is purely your choice to participate or not. Your pupil, Yusuke Urameshi, is also a guest in this tournament and he has no choice but to accept our offer," and with that, they disappeared, leaving the room quiet and tense.

"They will recruit Kuwabara, Hiei and Kurama, they'll need a fifth fighter. San, you'll go," said Genkai instantly

"I'm going no matter what, this journey will reunite me with my mate," replied San, hesitating for a moment.

"Spit it out!"

"Yusuke fought Toguro on his last mission. His team is most likely the one they'll have to defeat. He deceived Yusuke and Kuwabara into believing that they killed him. But I knew when I saw him there that they weren't nearly powerful enough to defeat Toguro," she explained gravely

"I see," there was no outward reaction, "If Yusuke is smart, he'll come back here for training," she sighed, "I will be attending but I'll go undercover. You'll be the replacement fighter if anyone dies."

"Understood. I'll be back later to start training with him."

Genkai grunted as a dismissal, and San left to go meet Kurama. The upcoming tournament occupied her mind, the anticipation of seeing her mate building up even with the impending doom of what they were going to do. Keeping human form, she hopped on the first train into town even though it was the long way. The fleeting forest turning into the city was oddly calming, even the chatter of mundane chatter of humans all around her. Still, she couldn't stop herself from worrying about losing a member of her pack. Yusuke didn't even know the spirit wave yet, he would need that if he hoped to win his fight with Toguro. San was only an alternate fighter which meant that someone would have to expire before she could jump in. The idea of not being able to protect them made a lump drop in the pit of her stomach.

San's thoughts stopped as soon as she met the emerald eyes of Kurama, smiling gently at her in the park where they usually met. It was strange how his presence calmed her, much in the way that her mate had done when they were together. The time was filled with small talk, a filler while they genuinely enjoyed each other's company. As they rounded a corner onto a street they both looked at each other in alarm, sensing someone approaching their position. San felt this presence before, earlier that day, in the temple.

"Hiei..." Kurama trailed, and the small fire demon was at their side.

But that's not who they were waiting for. The same demons that were at Genkai's earlier approached them and San tensed. It was her hope that the demons would attend by request of Yusuke, not as an invitation they couldn't refuse.

"Greetings. You three have been personally invited to participate in the Dark Tournament, on the team of Yusuke Urameshi," the same woman from before spoke.

"I decline," replied Hiei, glaring at them.

"If you refuse the offer, you will be killed."

"Underestimate me?"

"Shut up," San cut off the retort.

The demoness smiled, "We look forward to seeing you in two months."

They left, leaving the three in their wake almost as if they were never there in the first place.

"You've seen those demons before?" questioned Hiei.

"Yes. They showed up to the temple, to inform Genkai and personally invite her. She's able to refuse, because of her wish," explained San.

"Her wish?"

"Does it have something to do with Toguro?" asked Kurama, remembering her reaction to him, and how she wanted to know if he was dead.

"Yes. The last tournament that took place, Toguro and Genkai participated and won. There were some complications and she wished to never be bothered with it again. That's all irrelevant. If the tournament is starting up again, then someone is looking for something and we can bet it'll affect all of us, human and youki alike."

Whatever was going to be said ended up dying in their thoughts. The wind blew and with it a stench in the air that threatened to undo her. And then she felt it, knowing for sure what she was smelling, what she feared. Toguro... he was alive. San was moving before she knew it, the other two hot on her heels. They ran towards the massive power surge that nearly took her off her feet. Hiei was leading but that was natural, he was the fastest of the three. San was behind him and Kurama was coming up in the rear. Once they arrived at the source of all the commotion, the wolf nearly ready to fall down.

Kuwabara was on a rooftop near a building that was being destroyed, while the other three watched. Toguro was standing in the rubble and Yusuke just breaking free. He was fast and he was powerful, but San knew that wasn't his full potential. Words were spoken before he left as if nothing was going on in the first place. The three demons watched him and he stopped, turning to look at them.

"You'll need a replacement fighter," he stated, before walking away.

"I suppose it's time to start training," said San, leaving them all and heading back to Genkai's temple.

...

thanks for reading!