An hour later, Tsuki posted up the shower sheet. Then she pushed the first smelly victim, Inuyasha screaming for Kagome, into the bathroom where Kurama waited to assist him wash. Ten minutes later he was pushed out nice and clean. Then Kouga, one of his companions, was shoved in. After four hours everyone was getting tired and the shower line moved quicker. This night was the only one the all the showers would be in the same building. Every other night the showers would take place at each person's assigned house.

Finally everyone was washed and smelling good. Shortly after that most people went back to their temporary homes and went to sleep.


"Where are you going?" Taka questioned as Tsuki opened the door. She froze.

"11:47 p.m. Friday, September 13, 1524," she said sadly. Then she headed out the door. Taka watched her leave, then headed into the kitchen where Kurama, Kuwabara, Yusuke, Hiei, Goku, Sanzo, Jing, and Sesshomaru were all discussing something. Taka stared at the clock. 11:46. Sesshomaru glanced at the clock also. It slowly changed to 11:47p.m. Then they all heard it.

The pure soprano voice rose in a lament coating the city with sorrow.

The nine rushed out side.

"What is that?" Kurama asked. Taka threw his head back and howled a harmonic melody and Sesshomaru's bass voice joined in. Then, too everyone but Tsuki's surprise, a fourth baritone voice joined in.

The four voices were in perfect harmony. Finally as the men's voices dropped out, Tsuki's pure soprano once again rose to spiraling heights, then faded and died.

The air became still and the coating of sorrow was lifted.

"That was beautiful," Kurama breathed. Then fog rolled in. Everyone immediately took a defensive position.

Eclipse stepped out of the fog carrying a sleeping Tsuki in his arms. He once again slid her into Hiei's arms and then he turned to leave.

"Eclipse," Sesshomaru began disbelief clear in his voice. "How? Why?"

"My Lady called." Was his only response. Then he and his fog were gone.

"Why does he always dump her on me?" Hiei asked unconsciously.

" He only leaves her in the arms of the one he knows will protect her with everything. That's his way," Taka explained.

"How does he know?" Hiei pressed.

"He just…knows," Sesshomaru shrugged. Then he turned and went inside.

Hiei, even more bewildered, looked down into Tsuki's face, her features made soft by sleep.


" I don't understand!" Sesshomaru raged. "Why doesn't he trust me?! I would give my life for Tsuki and yet he gives her to Hiei." Sesshomaru paced in the back yard. Taka sat before him on the grass.

"He has no reason to trust you. If I remember correctly you were the one who almost killed him," Taka reasoned. "Eclipse looks into people's auras. When Tsuki is extremely weak, he chooses the person he feels she can draw off to heal herself without hurting the power donor or making him weak. You know that as well as I do." Sesshomaru froze and then rounded on Taka.

"But why him? I am strong enough to support both her and ten other people without breaking a sweat! Why didn't Eclipse give her to me?!" Sesshomaru practically screamed.

"Get a hold on yourself, Lord Sesshomaru! Quit being so selfish. Hiei isn't the kind to take and claim a woman. I heard he swore love away after his first love was killed. It's quite sad and the tale is even sadder. Apparently his first love was arranged by the thieves he ran with but he ended up truly falling in love with her and she with him. Then she was captured by a band of demon thugs and her virginity was stolen by force and she became impregnated by them. By the time Hiei got there to save her, she had already gone mad and slaughtered all the demons bare handed. When he found her covered in their blood, she looked up at him, said "I'm sorry, my love," and plunged one of their demonic blades through her heart. Hiei changed after that." Taka bowed his head as if remembering. "That was thousands of years ago, back when I was still a dragon wanderer." Sesshomaru stared at the moon overhead.

"I'm going to go talk with an old friend of mine in the Old Kingdom. I suspect I'll only be gone for a little while. If anything should happen, contact me immediately. Don't hesitate. Good bye." Sesshomaru disappeared in a tornado of wind.

"Fare thee well," Taka whispered. Then he slowly trotted inside.


Kurama looked down form the tree he was hiding in. Takashi had gone inside right after Sesshomaru had flown off. Kurama had heard that Hiei's lover had been killed, but Hiei had never told him how.

'Oh Hiei how could you stand that? You survived all that alone, Kurama thought. He would have to have a talk with Hiei. Kurama switched back into his spirit fox form and stole into the night.

Hiei gently laid Tsuki in her bed. He brushed the hair out of her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"Dammit all, Tsuki," he whispered. "Why? Why does it hurt me so much when you're not with me? I swore my emotions away but still you make me-" Hiei
pulled away from Tsuki quickly as the door opened. He reset his emotionless face and began to move away from her.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked into the dark of Tsuki's room.

"Kurama," Hiei responded stepping out of the deeper shadows. "What do you want?"

"I know how Nikai died. She killed herself didn't she?" Kurama questioned. Hiei turned away form him.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kurama came up behind Hiei and wrapped his arms around him. Then he leaned down and whispered in Hiei's ear.

"Don't be so afraid. Tsuki has too much to live for to kill herself." The feel of Kurama's lips against the sensitive skin of his ear sent shivers up and down Hiei's spine. "Just tell her and be truthful. She won't leave you. Don't be so damn stubborn." Suddenly Kurama's warmth was gone and Hiei was alone with Tsuki. He walked over to her, leaned down, and kissed her lips softly. Pulling away he said "I'm sorry." Then he silently left.