Hullo, everyone! :) So, how are you? Your fellow's here the same old story. And well, I'm so stressed out. Just had a round of loooong exams and another one is coming right up.

Anyways, here's the next chapter. :) Hoping you'll enjoy this as much as you enjoyed the previous one. And please do leave a review. :DD


Click

by four-eyed 0-0

Chapter Seven

Kaede's camera beeps frantically again as I turn to the next street on my way home. Ugh, I internally groan, frustrated for all I want is to finally have some sleep. I get off my car and sweep the camera over the few people walking on the sidewalks, and spot the superior E class demon at once.

"Emi?"

I sharply turn around as soon as my target flinches from my hidden attack. Shuichi, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei stand before me, apparently taken aback. With what, however, I'm not sure.

I lower the camera. "Oh, fancy seeing you here, guys." I smile and cock my head to the side.

They don't seem to hear me, though. Shuichi steps forward. "Emi, did we see what we just saw?"

I blink. "What are you referring to?"

"You shot the guy dead… with your camera," Kuwabara answers, eyes wide. I turn to where he's pointing at and see the demon I just took the picture of sprawled on the sidewalk, people gathering around him. My heart suddenly rams inside my chest.

"What are you talking about?" I ask, trying to look more surprised than I actually am. "You can't possibly shoot a—"

"Stop this nonsense," Hiei snarls, looking daggers at me. "We know what you've been up to."

This is when the panic starts. "How—?"

Yusuke holds up a hand. "Emi, we'll have to talk about this somewhere safe."

"What do you mean? Where are you taking me?" I start to back off, fumbling for the door latch of my car.

"Don't be afraid, Emi-san."

We all turn to a cloaked demon that suddenly shows up behind me. He wraps his arm about my waist and my knees buckle up at the rough touch.

A scream escapes my throat when we suddenly leap through the air. I close my eyes and hold onto the camera slung about my neck for dear life. When I find the breath to crack my eyes open, I see Hiei's figure feet away, holding a gleaming sword poised for attack. I scream and press my eyes closed again once he swings it, and then feel the arms around me unwrap only to be replaced with another set having even rougher hold. My breath hitches up my throat as Hiei's orbs pierce through my brown ones, fury deep in them.

We hit the earth without a thud, and he doesn't let go even when I move to step away. The weird feeling of familiarity washes over me again, and my eyes start to water.

A loud bang makes him turn around, so that I too see the mauled body of the demon spread-eagled on the ground. My mouth drops open as my three other friends land on their feet in front of us.

"Wh-what are you—?" I manage to croak out, my heart still racing.

Yusuke walks to me and claps a hand on my shoulder, making me flinch. "For now, you'll just have to trust us." He takes Hiei's sword and I shut my eyes, not wanting to witness my death. The wind sweeps my face and the weight on my neck is suddenly gone. I crack an eye open to see him handing the camera to Shuichi. He nods at Hiei who lifts me off my feet, holding me bridal style. I don't realize how far we've gone for that mere two seconds until he runs a whole block to my car. In a wink, he deposits me at the back seat and sits beside me while the others get in, Shuichi taking the driver's seat.

I scoot to the very edge of my seat, keeping as much possible space between the two of us. He doesn't seem to care, though, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest. I blink and then the tears just start to fall. I desperately try to wipe them away, but they just keep on flowing.

"Here."

Kuwabara's offering a handkerchief from his seat in front of mine. I look away and bury my head in my shaking hands. Just what is happening? I don't understand it all. Where are they taking me? And what's with the sword… the mangled body?

"Hiei, I believe you have to comfort her."

I look up again when I hear Shuichi's voice, only to see a red glow escape the headband that I've only noticed now Hiei is wearing.

"Go to sleep," he breathes, and almost instantly, I'm out.

©—©

When consciousness pulls my eyelids open, I instantly know I'm not in my room. I sit up, only to sink into the bed sheets the next second and cover my face in an attempt to protect myself from anyone. My heart races again and I keep my eyes shut, silently praying that no one will pry my only ward off me.

"Emi," says a voice as a gentle hand touches my shoulder under the blanket. "Emi, please talk to us. We won't bite," Botan whispers, giving me a small shake.

I curl into a ball and whimper, "No."

I hear a muffled sigh and she shakes me again. "Please trust us." She pulls the blanket off me gently, and I pull it back harshly. "Please cooperate, Emi. We're here to help."

When I don't budge, the blanket is forcibly jerked from my grasp and I sit up to see Hiei holding it, his crimson pools glaring at my still shaking form. I hug my knees and bury my face in them, scooting back with fear. Botan's arms wrap around me after her reprimand with the shrimp's rudeness.

"Emi?" the azure-haired girl whispers for only me to hear. "Would you like some tea?"

I nod my head very slightly and one of her arms move from its hold. The next moment she lifts my chin to show the small cup. I take it gratefully and she smiles.

When I hand the now empty cup back to her, she asks gently, "Can we talk to you now?"

I sweep my eyes across the room and see that the four males who rescued (or captured) me are unmoved from the previous positions I first saw them in. Even Hiei has resumed his place on the windowsill, the blanket now lying on the floor in a crumpled heap.

Looking up at the only female in the room besides myself, I nod my head curtly.

Shuichi walks to the bed, his hands in his pocket, and sits down on its farthest corner from me. "Emi, we're terribly sorry for having to take you away and forcing you to a sleep."

"It's fine," I reply hoarsely. Flinching at the sound, I clear my throat and close my eyes, taking a deep breath. I will have to tell them everything. And defend myself. As far as I know, I didn't do anything wrong; I was just trying to help my fellow humans. They don't deserve to be gourmet food to hideous creatures. "I just don't understand how you're involved in my mission."

"Your mission?" Shuichi asks.

"I was meant to drain every demon who wants to eat a human its energy."

Kuwabara winces. "Demons eating humans?"

I nod tiredly. "Well, that's at least what I was told. Demons allegedly have taken again a liking to human flesh."

"Who told you that?" Yusuke walks over and sits himself on the middle of the bed.

If I were to tell them, what will they do to me? I'm not yet ready to spill the beans. "Mind telling me first how you're involved in this?"

The two men exchange furtive glances and Yusuke nods at Shuichi who turns to me. "Emi, the four of us are the Reikai Tantei. So to speak, we're the detectives of the Spirit World."

When I hear this, I don't feel troubled or anything. Hearing of demons perhaps has taken its toll on me that hearing of another world feels normal. "Spirit Detectives," I mutter, almost to myself, as though testing how it rolls off my tongue. I look at Yusuke. "Would you expound on that?"

He puffs out his cheeks and scratches his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see… This is quite a long story…"

"I can manage not to fall asleep." I almost grin at him.

He gives a small laugh. "Okay, I'll just tell you the summary. I died"—I feel the blood drain my face—"when I was fourteen, trying to save a boy from getting hit by a car. Botan here appeared to my ghoul self as she is the escort of souls and told me I had a chance for revival. After passing the test I also became the Spirit Detective and had to capture Hiei and Kurama here for stealing two of the three Artifacts of Darkness with a spirit-eating ghoul named Gouki."

"Uh… who's Kurama? And why is he here?" I ask when he pauses, warily looking around the room for the mysterious Kurama.

Shuichi raises a hand and my eyebrows automatically collide with each other. He launches to a very brief story of his former life as a bandit, getting badly injured and having to fuse with a yet spiritless fetus in a human woman's womb and thus growing up to be Shuichi.

I blink, trying to find my voice. "So… what're you? A demon… or a demon inside a human body?"

He smiles at me. "More likely the latter."

"Would you prefer to be called Shuichi or Kurama?"

"Kurama's fine if we're not in front of those unknowing of the whole situation."

I nod my head and motion for Yusuke to continue with his story. When he finishes with the whole Demon World Tournament thing and King Enki enforcing a law to protect humans from harm, I feel such an idiot.

"So you're telling me demons don't ever have the intention of feeding on humans?" I shake at the question. Please don't confirm my doubts. Please.

"Yes."

My eyes go wide and I blurt out, "Where's the camera? Give it to me… NOW!"

Kuwabara hastily takes it from a bag and hands it to me. I shuffle through the pictures and am about to delete them all when Kurama places a hand on my wrist. I look up at him sharply.

"What are you going to do?"

"I need to delete the pictures before all their energies are drained. I only have"—I glance at the clock on the wall; it's a quarter before one o'clock in the morning—"less than fifteen minutes left before my first victim falls dead."

"What—"

"I'll explain later." I look at the viewfinder and press the delete button, dropping the camera on my lap. My heart rate goes too fast and I have to take deep breaths to calm myself. I almost killed innocent creatures. I'm so stupid. So stupid.

"Emi?"

I shake my head in exasperation as I take the now empty camera in my shaking hands. "Anyone willing to destroy this piece of shit? I've heard you've got all those weapons."

"We can't destroy it now, Emi. Not until you tell us about what just happened."

I look at Kurama and set the camera on the bed. "Some demon lord named Kaede gave this 'mission' to me. He said demons are at large, feeding on humans again. This cam he gave me fuses half of the energy of any demon with its picture the moment of capture, likewise its strength. Every three hours, the remaining energy reduces to half again, like half-life. The demon dies once its energy is drained out." I fist my hair as tears start to prick my eyes again. "My first victim was of low B class. He dropped to middle D class this afternoon around four when I took his picture. It dropped to middle E class at seven. And low E at ten. If I haven't deleted his picture before the clock strikes one, he'll be dead." I shudder when I finish, only realizing then how I've been mistaken.

"What about the other demon we just saw?" asks Kuwabara.

I close my eyes and swallow. "He's of superior E class. His strength dropped to low E when I took his picture and that was why he collapsed. He would've died around two if I didn't do as I did."

The room goes deadly silent as everyone contemplates on what I said. If only I haven't been so stupid to listen and believe in everything that Kaede told me. Tears start to fall from my eyes again. How stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

"Yes, you are."

We all turn to Hiei who has a smirk in place. I cringe at his glare. Of course he can read minds, I remind myself. "You are an idiot. All this time you're surrounded by demons. Why didn't that weapon of yours detect our energies?" he points out.

Yusuke comes to my rescue. "Hiei—"

"Yusuke, I think Hiei has a point." We all turn sharply to Kurama. I can't believe he's actually saying that I indeed am stupid. Not that he's wrong. It just doesn't feel right for the redhead to be mean. He waves his hands, though. "No, not that way. I mean, it's indeed intriguing as to how come the camera didn't detect us."

I sigh. "Kaede told me it only detects demons who crave for humans."

"And how are you sure that one's true after all the bullshit he told you?" Hiei snaps.

"Not all demons eat humans," Kurama supplies matter-of-factly, trying to wave the shrimp's thought off. "Only Raizen, Mukuro, and Yomi ever ate them, as far as I know."

"So?" Yusuke asks.

I blink as an idea comes across me. It may not be entirely true… or even correct in the slightest, but it still is an idea. "What if he deliberately programmed the camera not to detect your energies?"

"I'm thinking the exact same thing," says the redhead. "Since we're the Reikai Tantei, it'll be too much of a risk to be discovered. We'll have to make sure, though." He looks at me. "Emi, I think it's best if we have the camera inspected."

I nod. "Sure, anything that can help."

"And that you should come with us to Genkai's."

"What?"

Yusuke pats my shoulder. "You'll be of better help if you're safe. Kaede might target you as soon as he discovers your being caught."

I desperately look for any sign of doubting in the remaining people's faces but fail. "For how long?"

"For as long as this mission lasts."

I have a life! "But how about my work? I can't possibly leave Ryoko—God, Ryo!" I clap a hand on my mouth. If I'm in trouble, he might also be in trouble. He's the closest family I've got. "Yusuke, is there any way you can make sure Ryoko's safe without disclosing all of this?"

"We can think of a way."

"You better should come up with something. I'm not leaving him to his devices and risk his safety."

Kuwabara laughs. "Are you sure he's not your boyfriend?"

"Kuwabara, I am in no mood to laugh," I snarl.

"Easy." He holds up both hands. "Koenma's got lots of people to watch out for him."

I exhale. "And what will be my excuse for having an indefinite leave at work?" I demand.

They all go silent.

"We'll think of it," Kurama replies. "For now, you should rest. We'll have to leave as soon as possible."

"And, um… guys?" They look at me (except Hiei). I hesitate. "Am I bound for any criminal cases?"

They burst out laughing. I laugh myself, more because of the relief of knowing.

"Let's all call it a night, guys," Yusuke declares. We all express our agreement and eventually, it's only me, Kuwabara, and Hiei left.

I look at Kuwabara. "Why is he here?" I ask, snatching a glance at the shrimp's direction. He's viewing the outside again, content with his perch.

"Security."

"Ah," I mumble. "By the way, where are you going to sleep?"

"You take the bed and I'll be on a couch in the living room."

"That's not fair." I don't want to be such a terrible guest.

Kuwabara smiles at me. "I'll be fine. Besides, someone should keep watch of the front door."

"Are you sure?" I insist, praying he'll change his mind, "I'll take the other couch so that we're quits."

He laughs. "No. Goodnight, Emi." He pats my head.

I smile. "Goodnight, Kuwa. Thank you very much."

"Phew. I thought you will never call me that again after the joke I pulled off."

"'Course not, dude."

"Would you like the lights out?"

"Yes."

"G'night."

"And sweet dreams."

He gives me one last smile before opening and disappearing behind the door. I sink back to the sheets. It's only then that I realize I'm all alone in the room with Hiei. He's so quiet that it seems he's not even breathing.

"I breathe and don't dwell on me."

"Well, thanks for the fun fact."

"Hn."

"'Night."

"Good for you not to include 'good' there."

"Thanks."

He doesn't answer. I close my eyes.

"And Hiei?" I wait, ticking the seconds with the fingers of one of my hands. I roll my eyes when he doesn't respond. "Don't read my mind." He still doesn't respond and this time, I close my eyes and try to fall asleep.


Review Responses:

Here's the pm'ed review by Just 2 Dream of You for having not been able to review . :)

'Whoa, Hiei watched her sing! Whoo...! And WTH is Ryo doing now! Ugh. This is still great, and sorry again for how I have to "review".'

- Thank you very much again. :) And yeah, I would want her to be given some credit that even Hiei would watch her. :D So, where does Emi and Ryoko go from here, eh? :D

DemonMiko Jenna: So, here it is. :D How did you find the encounter? :)

pourquoibella: Haha! I'm happy it was funny. How is this? :D

Shadow Realm Triforce: And what a way to end such a fun night. :D

middlekertz: I guess you'll have to wait what happens with the two of them now... and getting together? I'm not really sure about that... hehehe. :D

Kisa Kisshu: Here's the chapter. :) I wish I could be an author for real, though. :)

Guest: Hey! I hope you'll read this. Thanks for the review. :) And for saying everyone's in character. :D

So, how's it, everyone? Things are spicing up... HAHAHA. :D

Till next time. :)

~four-eyed 0-0