"Urameshi is on the 2nd floor and Hiei's soul is in my hand. So do you flee? Or do you prefer to fight?" Kaito asks. You ignore him and check Hiei's blue body with an alit probing hand to find that all of his vitals and systems are still working fine in demon terms, he's just a soulless body. You continued to ignore him as you pull out your mp3 and start it up, knowing that the 'silent game' was about to ensue. You hated tense silences so you would rather ignore it and pretend to pay attention, using your eyes to follow the mind battle's progress. You watch as Kurama asks if you get Hiei's soul back undamaged if you won. Kaito explains he doesn't know since he's never lost, followed by listing the two choices.

"No, there's a third choice," Kuwabara points out. He explains, "We leave Hiei here and we go ahead. It's the best choice."

"Bastard. What happened to honor codes and nobody gets left behind?" you question with a glare towards Kuwabara, never liking when he suggested that in the series. Botan quickly agrees with what you said.

"That's enough. Hiei always does as he pleases. He didn't even listen to Kurama's warning. I'm too fed up to waste time just for his sake," Kuwabara points out.

"I also think that's a good solution. You're not that dumb after all. And Ashley, I don't think I've ever heard you curse before. Unbecoming of a lady like yourself," Kaito agrees with Kuwabara.

"That's still no reason to leave a comrade behind Kuwabaka. I don't know how any of you met and I may not know Hiei like you do but that doesn't mean we should just leave him here! Kaito was messing with his head and his anger blinded him. I know it's happened to you too. And you! You know less than you think about me. I've already been told I shouldn't curse and that it doesn't suit me but that doesn't mean I won't if I'm annoyed or pissed off enough," you rant off in anger and yank out your ear buds, startling everyone still conscious.

"Either way, I'm ready," you hear Yanagisawa say from the first of the three doors. The other three look over to see him standing in front of the door, chewing gum.

"To go further, you have to go through that door. And he's the only one that has the key," Kaito explains. You watch as Kuwabara marches up to him and demands for the key while Yana refuses, popping his gum in Kuwabara's face.

"What about kicking me to get it back, lil Kuwabara," Yana taunts, waving the key in his face before slipping it back in his shirt pocket. This annoys Kuwabara and makes him go to punch Yana only to hurt his hand. "Don't you remember? We told you, you can't use violence. You have to be a good boy here," Yana continues to taunt while poking Kuwa in the forehead.

Kurama resigns to playing by their rules and everyone but you and Yana grab a chair to sit in while you put your ear buds back in, humming while the minutes tick by and keeping track of Hiei's vitals.

Kuwabara eventually gets fed up with the silence within an hour and asks Kurama if there was any way to beat him. Kurama tells him that there is but that you need to get Hiei's soul back. As the clock ticks by, some more silence follows before Kuwabara breaks it once again.

"We're not forced to not talk, we just can't say the taboo! Too easy! Kurama tell us, Who the hell is this guy?" Kuwabara points out and starts conversation while you just pull out your fans and hand Botan the wooden one while fanning yourself with the metal one.

"We're in the same class but he's never talked to anyone until a month ago when he started talking with Ashley-san on her first day. Since he's entered our school, he's been famous for his knowledge. He's the first real genius that our school has known," Kurama explains.

"Isn't that an indirect way to boast? You've always been ahead of me in exams, and Ashley's catching up to us pretty fast too," Kaito inputs while reading his book again.

"Perhaps, but you're a literary master. You've done essays on philosophy and literature. You're known among the best as a word specialist," Kurama reminds.

"So he's a erudite? Wouldn't tell by looking at him," Kuwabara comments. Kaito merely thanks him without much sign of acknowledgement other than a reply.

"I'm gonna die with this heat. All this just for us to say the word, he thinks we're idiots," Kuwabara thinks aloud.

"I sprout tropical plants. 85 degrees Fahrenheit with an 80% humidity. For those that are thirsty, there are cold drinks in the fridge and food in the cupboard," Kaito explains.

"Explains why it reminds me of home during the summer. Though I must admit it's usually much drier. It's more like late spring during the rainy season. I like it," you comment absentmindedly.

"Juices probably contain truth serum. You drink first," Kuwabara suggests.

"Hm… Truth serum. Didn't think of that. You're a sharp one," Kaito mutters.

"That supposed to be a compliment?!" Kuwabara asks.

"I'll get us some. I can't stand not doing anything," Botan offers and heads over to the mini-fridge after setting down the fan she had. "There's a lot in here. Kuwabara you want an orange juice?" Botan asks.

"Yeah sure," Kuwabara affirms.

"I'd like one as well," Kurama adds in.

"I'm fine, brought my own drink," you inform her, pulling out your bottled drink to state your point.

"Can you get me a glass and two straws so we can share it with each other?" Kuwabara requests.

"Grrr…Is that it?" Botan asks. Just then Kuwabara's body lit up and everyone turns to him as he jumps out of his seat and his soul is sucked from his body.

"That's another," Kaito mutters and catches his soul as well.

"But why?" Kurama asks.

"That's not fair, Kuwabara never said 'hot'!" Botan shouts stupidly. Kurama looks to her as she realizes what she said and her soul is taken as well and placed in Kaito's care.

"Rules are pretty strict here. For example, you can't say compound words with the taboo word in it and you also can't say words that have the sound or spelling of the taboo word," Kaito comments.

"I see. So that was why," Kurama trails off as he remembers what Kuwabara said.

"Heh. Souls are really quite beautiful. I particularly like the girl's color. You know, souls can't strengthen, they are beautiful but vulnerable. The one holding them don't have to do much to crush them and annihilate the person…What about trying? It's really tempting to see what you'd do," Kaito rants and places his hand above Hiei's and Botan's.

"Try it. Just to see my reaction. Let's say that my taboo is, if you try anything, I'll use everything in my power to kill you," Kurama threatens.

"Don't forget about me Kaito. You do anything to harm those souls and your own soul, body, and mind is forfeited to me. You'll only wish you were dead by the time I'm through with you. And there's nothing your territory can do to prevent it," you promise venomously with a glare to match.

"Finally you're serious," Kaito mutters.

"How long will you be able to last?" Kurama asks and produces the key Yanagisawa had.

"That's the key to the door?!!" Kaito exclaims in shock while you smirk.

"That's impossible! When did he do that?! But!" Yana sputters out and sees the vines on the ceiling.

"I'm sure you felt nothing. I just took it out of your pocket," Kurama assures.

"I follow the rules of your games, and it seems I can use my powers," Kurama notes. 'And so the game soon begins,' you think with the smirk still on your face.

"He had the plant pick-pocket me. So that's his power," Yana mutters in awe.

"Take good care of those souls. I'll get them back soon enough," Kurama informs as you set Hiei up near Botan and Kuwabara and grab a chair to plop in beside Kurama after retrieving your wooden fan. You adjust some and sit in your made up death note position that really seems to work for you like L's, pausing your mp3 for the moment.

"Tell me, can we change the taboo word? Neither of us will say it so it may take hours," Kurama asks.

"Yes. We can change it. I've wanted to do so for some time but I've been waiting until it was just the two of us. It seems that Ashley won't be falling for my tricks anytime soon though," Kaito tells him. You merely grunt the affirmative with that.

"If you let me choose the word, I promise you that in less than 26 minutes I will make you say it," Kurama challenges. You look at him through the corner of your eye and your eyes lock for a moment before you nod, telling him you were with him until the end, and both turn your attention back to Kaito.

"Is that so? And if in the end, I haven't said it?" Kaito inquires interestedly.

"I'll give you my soul. We have to finish it in 26 minutes, but if by the end of the time, neither of us says the word, you win. So what do you say? The odds are stacked in your favor, are you afraid?" Kurama deals.

"I'll join in too and you can have my soul as well should the time run out with all of us still conscious," you put your two cents in before a moment of silence follows as Kaito thinks of the pros.

"Fine. I accept your challenge. What is your taboo?" Kaito agrees.

"The taboo will consist of one letter. However, every minute we will add a letter. We will start with the letter 'z' then the letter 'y.' Every minute we go backward in the alphabet, gradually eliminating the possibilities letter by letter. It'll only take twenty six minutes to complete the alphabet," Kurama states, surprising Kaito.

"Heh. You're frightening, but this game seems like fun," Kaito comments and looks at the clock. "It's past midnight so we'll start at 1," Kaito informs. You nod and play your mp3 once again, knowing that not much will be said that's of major importance since you'll be keeping silent so you don't slip up. When the grandmother clock stroked one, a sheet of paper appeared to signal the start of the game. You pulled out your book of useless information and just sat reading it while you faintly heard Kaito babble on about the letters soon disappearing, absentmindedly singing the music with 'ah'.

You occasionally glance over at the paper to see eight letters gone and note Kaito walking into the bathroom. You shrug and glance at Kurama to see him looking at you from the corner of his eye while the rest of his body glowed slightly and the plants grew to envelope the entire room. You smile and wave at him with a wink, which he returns with a nod, then turn back to your book., no longer humming. You hear a thump and glance up to barely see Yana on the floor asleep and Kaito just come out of the bathroom through the foliage. You look beside you to see Kurama's chair empty and look up to see him on the chandelier. You quickly turn back to your book, seeming as if you're dead to the rest of the world, so Kaito doesn't know his location.

You watch through your lashes as Kaito bursts into the clearing Kurama left with you and the other three. Upon seeing you he backs up and stops in the center of the room, right below the chandelier while looking around to try and find where Kurama was hiding. You watch closely as Kurama lowers himself slowly and quietly with a minute remaining. Kurama shouts the last letter while Kaito tries not to scream. Then Kaito turns around, believing he won, only to lose when he sees Kurama's face, laughing his head off. You yourself had to bite your bottom lip to keep from saying anything at Kurama's face. When you feel the dimension disappear and your three friends' souls return, you let loose a small, drawn out chuckle while putting away your book and mp3.

"All right! We're back in the flesh! And no thanks to you Hiei!" Kuwabara exclaims while you still hide your chuckling and big grin behind your hand and Hiei replies with his monosyllable and avoids eye contact. This only adds to your chuckles and you burst out into a full out laughter.

"Hey, what's so funny Ashley-san?" Botan asks upon noticing my current state, drawing everyone else's attention towards me as I clutch my side.

"K-Kura-kun…H-His face a m-minute ago," you sputter out in between laughs. Your response confuses the three and Kurama explains calmly, though not showing or explaining the face he made while calling his plants back.

Soon enough, you find the key Kaito had and the note put up on the third door. Botan quickly scans the room for the third key with her psychic spyglass only to fail. You offer to go try to find it outside but the others dismiss the idea as unnecessary, stating how they wouldn't bother hiding it outside where it could be stolen or something. You roll your eyes when everyone turned their attention to Yanagisawa's waking form as they all crowd around him. You walk over to the group as well just as they all begin to converse.

"You had no chance of finding it, it's hidden at the base of a tree. You did well not forcing the door. If you had, Urameshi would be dead," Yana informs.

"Knew we should have checked outside," you mutter in a pout, earning a glare from Hiei as Kurama explains the note.

"The guy who designed this house was a freak. You'd have to be twisted to think of a room access with three doors," Kuwabara comments impatiently.

"Well, I can kind of understand it if someone was paranoid. With three doors, if an intruder were to barge in, they'd stall them and give the owner some time to get their stuff and leave a different way without being followed," you shrug.

You all eventually get past the third door, only to find the seven stairwells that lead to the same second floor room. Kuwabara screams in disbelief and Yana explains that everyone has to use a different stairway.

"And now what's waiting for us?" Kurama asks.

"You'll see. You can't do anything but what I say," Yana evades.

"Wait a minute! In case of problems, the seven detective tools. This one is number five: the label. These things come from the marking we do on prisoners so that we don't lose them. Only the one who stuck it on can take it off. Naturally, it removes itself in cases of death. The label's color changes according to the wearer's health status as follows: blue if everything's going well, yellow for minor injuries, and red for critical wounds. We all write our names on the labels and stick one on each of us. If something happens in the stairs, we'll know right away," Botan explains. Kurama looks to Yana for permission which he grants. Botan hands each of you four and you write your initials on them before placing one on Kurama's arm and Botan and Kuwabara's chests. You look to Hiei along with Botan and place your sticker on his chest with Kurama while he was distracted with stopping Botan from touching him.

You each take a different stairwell and you just close your eyes and follow the stairs, using your energy and hearing to guide you so you don't fall for the illusions. You soon reach the door to the second floor and enter it only a second before the others follow behind. You all gather closer and you stand close to Hiei and Kurama, staying a little away from Kuwabara.

"What are you doing just standing there, Urameshi?! We believed you were kidnapped!" Kuwabara questions.

"Don't come any closer! This guy has the power to immobilize his opponents by stepping on their shadow!" Yusuke warns.

"Exactly, but I'm not your enemy. He's among your friends," Kido puts out.

"What?" Kuwabara asks confusedly.

"Urameshi, there's an imposter among these five people…You've got ten minutes to find the imposter. The five of you can only answer the questions he asks you," Kido explains.

"An imposter. Is this a joke or what?!" Kuwabara exclaims.

"Its impossible for someone to disguise themselves so fast!" Botan adds in.

"I believe I told you to stay still. Don't forget that I have a hostage in my hands. If there's an imposter among you five, that means I've also got another hostage. If something happens to me, then we'll execute the hostage," Kido reminds.

"Everything seems to be well planned," Kurama notes.

"Only nine more minutes. What have you decided?" Kido wonders.

"You serious? There's really and imposter? But they all seem real," Yusuke tries to confirm. Kido's only reply was informing him how much time was left.

"Kuwabara, What's your birthday and blood type?" Yusuke asks.

"I'd be happy to tell you, but do you really know all that about me?" Kuwabara replies.

"Actually, I don't really know anything," Yusuke points out stupidly.

"Then why bother you idiot?!" Kuwabara asks angrily. You merely make a face plant in your hand and shake your head.

"What's your sister's name?" Yusuke starts questioning seriously.

"Shizuru. She's eighteen since the other day, she's stronger than me, and her type of guys is Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt," Kuwabara recites.

"Kurama! What's your mother's name?" Yusuke continues to question.

"Minamino Shiori. She's 40. She'll remarry this autumn," Kurama informs.

"Really?! That's great news! Am I invited?" Yusuke exclaims and Kido reminds them of the remaining time.

"Botan, give me all your measurements, in order!" Yusuke demands.

"What does that have to do with you?! I never told you any of that!" Botan cries incredulously.

"Of course you did. The other day, remember?" Yusuke tries to fib. Botan tries to remember and cries at him incredulously about him being a pervert.

"Hn. This game is just too stupid," Hiei comments.

"Hiei, tell me. What's your sister's name?" Yusuke turns on him.

"Telling you something you already know is pointless," Hiei informs.

"What?! Shrimp has a sis and Urameshi knows her?! She's probably as wild and stupid as her brother," Kuwabara comments, ticking off Hiei. Everyone tries to get off the subject until about five minutes are left.

"Don't you hate when people think you're an only child and then make a big deal over it when they find out you have a sibling?" You ask Hiei.

"Ashley. Where are you from and what's your favorite animal, mystical and real?" Yusuke turns to you.

"What me? I'm from Dallas, Texas and my favorite real animals are the fox, wolf and monkey. My favorite mystical animals are the phoenix and dragon species and the first thing you guys heard from me was me singing 'Life is like a boat'," you inform.

"Are you sure there's an imposter?" Yusuke asks only to be ignored again. Yusuke then notices the stickers you all were wearing. Botan and Yusuke explain them again and everyone goes to take them off to find who can't. You roll your eyes muttering how it was pointless under your breath but remove your stickers anyways.

"We all succeeded in taking them off!" Kuwabara cries the obvious.

"That's impossible! The imposter shouldn't be able to take them off!" Botan cries in disbelief.

"There never was an imposter. He's been playing us this whole time," Hiei decides but you notice his eyes dart towards you suspiciously before turning forward again.

"Oh, there's one. Without a doubt there's one among you. If you don't succeed in uncovering him. It means you don't need the real one. The real one can die and you wouldn't even notice anything," Kido corrects.

Soon the time was up and when Yusuke couldn't provide an answer to who's fake, Kido tells him what his last chance to find the original one was. At their astonished expressions, Kido explains that the only way to undo Yanagisawa's copy was to inflict pain, hence punching them with all his strength, reminding him that he only had one chance. A few more explanations later from Kido and Yusuke sprinted towards you five, choosing which was the imposter. He punched Kuwabara to show that he was, indeed, the imposter.

"You were clear-sighted. How did you know?" Kido asks.

"He was the easiest one for me to hit. There's not much more to it," Yusuke explained.

"Tch. I see…" Kido replies before Yusuke continues.

"Plus, Hiei and Kurama aren't idiots that can be captured as easily as us, and though I don't know her too well, Ashley probably wouldn't have been captured as easily either. That left Kuwabara and Botan," Yusuke continued.

"Does that make you happy Hiei?" Kurama asked him quietly while you hid your own laughter and Hiei told you both to shut up.

"If you'd ever been so cowardly as to take Botan, then I'd have to come back to slaughter you. That's why I chose Kuwabara," Yusuke elaborates further. You could hear Botan go all teary eyed at Yusuke's somewhat sentimental words for her.

"Wonderful. I'm very impressed," Kido applauds.

"Shut up and tell us where Kuwabara is!" Yusuke demands,

"Don't worry. I'll give you back Kuwabara. We'll take the chance to introduce our behind the scenes mastermind as well," Kido assures as the double doors behind him open.

"What?! Genkai?! You're the mastermind?! You better have a good reason for this. We want more than just a simple answer," Yusuke shouts incredulously. You watch as explanations are given about Genkai wanting to introduce the trio and their powers and when Kurama first noticed there was something to their motives.

"I still don't understand the reason. Why all the fuss for making introductions?" Hiei questions.

"The four of you are really strong. No human can beat you face-to-face. But I wanted to make you conscious that there is a way to defeat you. Hiei, if you really fought against Kaito he wouldn't stand a chance, but he took your soul. You lacked vigilance. The same goes for you Yusuke," Genkai explained. Yusuke tried to explain he wouldn't have gotten caught if he knew of Kido's abilities but was rewarded with a scolding from Genkai.

"Ok, but who's the enemy? Apparently they aren't so who is?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes. And speaking of Kaito, I noticed that at one moment, there was a demonic scent that appeared a few times just a little after Kaito took Hiei's soul. It was similar to the one me and Yusuke sensed a couple of weeks ago at Genkai's temple, but all three of them are human without an ounce of demon on them. In fact, a small trace of that scent is still on your clothes Hiei," Kurama informs. You look at him blinking before realizing that he was talking about you.

"Hmph. I'm surprised you were able to hide it this long from them child," Genkai addresses you.

"I must admit, I'm a little surprised myself, Master Genkai. I was worried when he stopped questioning me and thought that he had already figured it out and didn't need anymore answers," you confess a bit while rubbing the side of your neck.

"Hold on, I'm totally confused here. Can someone explain to me what you two are talking about?" Yusuke pleads, voicing the confusion everyone but you two were feeling.