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"You have your identity when you find out, not what you can keep your mind on, but what you can't keep your mind off."

—AR Ammons

Chapter Black

"One week. As in, seven days. Seven days until the apocalypse?!" I hissed urgently at Botan, who looked quite frazzled—she had every right to be. Even Kurama, who was sitting in the library chair next to me, looked unsettled. It wasn't like him to lose his calm demeanor.

My pulse sputtered disjointedly in fear, and Kurama shot me a concerned glance as he heard it. I lifted my hand to my heart, and touched the Barrier Stone. Seven days… until I would never be able to take the pendant off again. And my soul would be sucked inside when I would eventually fall asleep (assuming I wouldn't already be killed by a rogue demon). Ergo, seven days to live.

Kurama, sensing my distress, curled an arm around me and squeezed my shoulder gently.

Botan nodded sadly. "When Koenma figured out that the distortion point was underground, we recalculated. The breach is much bigger than we thought—what we were seeing around Mushiyori city was just one end of the sphere. That's why we thought it was a perfect circle—but it extends much further underground."

"How are they stationed underground, Botan?" Kurama asked quietly as a student walked past us, idly browsing through the books. He turned into an aisle and walked away. "What are they using?"

"It's a cave system." With a quick glance around us, she lifted the briefcase she brought along with us and popped it open. Kurama distanced himself from me as I lifted the chain of my pendant over my head. Botan tapped a few keys, then spun the briefcase around so we could see the screen inside.

It showed a subterranean map of the distortion point, which was marked by a red dot with a sphere around it. Botan reached around and hit another button; it zoomed out to show the entrance of the cave.

"It's appropriately named Demon's Door Cave," Botan informed us wryly. "The entrance is just outside the city limits."

She snapped the briefcase shut and slid it off the table, looking somber. "We don't have time to play it safe any more," she murmured, standing. "There isn't any more time."

I nodded and slipped the pendant around my neck again; Botan left the library through the side entrance.

I leaned forward, crossing my arms on the table, and buried my head in them, squeezing my eyes shut against burning tears. Things just seemed utterly hopeless—I had no way of stopping what was going to happen. I could either run around with my power exposed and kill all the demons I could before I either exhausted myself or got killed, or I could leave the pendant on and get killed by having my soul sucked out of my body. And then I would be stuck inside the pendant, with Kuronue and Masuyo, forever.

And it wasn't just me that was in danger. That I could probably handle, accept even. The world as we knew it was going to change completely. My parents wouldn't be safe. My friends wouldn't be safe. The world would be run over and taken over by demons… there would be another Makai.

The pounding of blood in my ears could be the sound of a dirge. I was almost certain it would be the last thing I would hear as this dimension literally became hell on earth.

I felt Kurama put his arm around me again. His hair brushed the side of my face as he leaned closer to me.

"I need to go to Spirit World," he murmured. "I…" he hesitated. "You know I would not leave your side for a second if it wasn't completely urgent. I have to ask Koenma something—and it has to be in person."

"I know," I whispered into my elbow.

"I will walk you to Yusuke's apartment," he said, sitting up—though his arm stayed around my shoulders. "No one we know has seen us yet, so we can still leave and be marked absent."

It was very early in the school day—Kurama had left my house to run to his and change into his uniform in the wee hours of the morning. He came back quickly, and we had arrived at Meiou forty-five minutes before class and had been sitting in the library when Botan found us.

I nodded silently and we rose, exiting the building quietly.

Kurama wasn't going to like this. Genkai probably wouldn't either. (The psychic was staying in Yusuke's apartment, waiting for the other members of the group to get back from school.)

But I really couldn't help it.

Monday was mom's off day, so she wouldn't be at the gym. A quick check in the bay window as Kurama and I passed my house on the way to Yusuke's apartment told me that she was out buying groceries. She usually spent her day off reading at the kitchen table with the curtains open. They were closed, so she was away.

I quietly let myself into the dark, empty house and made my way up the stairs to my bedroom. Grabbed my gym bag. Checked Jinx's water bowl on the landing just outside my door. Left, pushing the cat inside with my toe when he tried to get out, and locked the door behind me. Jogged to the gym.

When I got there, I went straight to the locker room and changed. I made a point of stretching my back, which sent tiny spikes of pain down my spine, making me grit my teeth for a split second. I blew out a sharp sigh and chalked up my hands and the bottoms of my feet, then headed to the mat.

It was the single most strenuous workout I had ever put myself through, exacerbated by the fact that my scar was screaming with agony the entire time. The few people that were there—no classes; it was too early for that—stayed out of my way. The looks they gave me showed that they could see my intensity, my desperation, and were either disturbed or perplexed by it, or both. They steered clear for good reason.

It was sunset when I finally called it quits. I was soaked in sweat, and every muscle ached. My back was done throbbing with pain; it was a single sustained note of torture. But I'd done it. I'd forced myself to do everything I wanted to do, and didn't let my weakness stop me.

I went home looking like that—not bothering to change.

"Reina?" my mom asked as I walked through the door. She was tossing a dishrag in the laundry room off the front hall. She crumpled it up in one hand and frowned. "You went to the gym after school?"

"Yeah," I lied. Then, so easily that I startled myself: "Botan is asking me to help her study for entrance exams to a high school she wants to go to. The exam is at the end of this week. I was wondering if I could stay at her house and help her cram."

They were under the impression that Botan, who they had met several times, went to Keiko's school. Keiko was probably still mad at me for bailing on her sleepover so...

She lifted an eyebrow. "All week?" My dad appeared at the end of the hallway with a skeptical look of his own.

"Well of course I'll go to school every day," I said with a small smile. "And come back to feed Jinx and do my laundry. But… she's really freaking out. She's studied very hard but doesn't feel that she's studied enough. Just having me there showing her flash cards will probably help her."

My dad crossed his arms, frowning deeply. Not good. "Why so sudden?"

"She's just… very worried. Remember when I went to take the placement exam for Meiou? How worried I was…?"

Mom and Dad winced in unison.

"Good point," my mom murmured. Dad grunted his agreement.

"Well… that's fine I suppose. Where does she live again?" Dad asked.

"One of those apartment complexes off of first. Down that way." I pointed to my left, towards Yusuke's apartment. I wasn't that great at lying; it helped to be telling at least part of the truth. "She lives there with her mom," I added unnecessarily to help the ruse.

My father was rubbing his chin—his five o'clock shadow was itching him, probably. "Well… all right then. I just have one thing I need to ask you."

"Yeah. Shoot," I replied with an easy smile.

He fixed me with a serious look. "Don't go to Mushiyori City. I know an impromptu shopping spree might sound nice to you two, especially after studying to the point of exhaustion. But don't go there. Promise me that."

Mom shot him a confused look, one that I mirrored.

"The doctor," he reminded us with a strange, forced sort of smile. "The crazy one. I don't want you going over there where that kind of behavior is common."

I remembered the crazed, blank sort of expression on the Doctor's face as he attacked Yusuke and I. I remembered Kido lying paralyzed on the ground in a pool of his own blood—he was still recovering at the hospital. I clenched my hands into fists, the slight sting of my nails digging into my palms distracting me just enough so I could suppress a shudder. But that wasn't the only thing that concerned me…

Again, I worried that my father could somehow sense the tunnel. Sense the demonic energy. I fought to keep the worry off my face, and smiled, rolling my eyes teasingly. "I remember now. All right, Dad. I think it's hardly common, but I'll steer clear, if only to ease your conscience."

"Thank you," he said with a snort.

I hurriedly cleaned myself up and ate dinner, then gathered a change of clothes, my uniform, and my books and headed out, kissing my mom on the cheek and hugging my dad before leaving the house.

It was nightfall by then, and the streets were empty. The sky rumbled overhead—a thunderstorm was on its way. I shrugged my backpack further up my shoulders and walked a little faster as it began to drizzle.

The aching in my legs kept me from jogging the rest of the way, so my hair was slightly damp when I finally got to Yusuke's apartment complex. I hesitated at the bottom of the stairs, and, with a weary sigh, forced myself to ascend.

"I'm goin' to the ARCADE!" Yusuke's voice bellowed as I finally made it to his floor. The door to his apartment slammed open, swinging back and hitting the wall, cracking plaster. He stormed out in a huff, features curled into a snarl, and stopped short when he saw me.

"Well that's just perfect," he spat, slamming the door behind him. I flinched. "You know where your boyfriend is? 'Cause he's apparently leaving us high and dry—like Hiei, and frigging Kuwabara!"

My mouth opened and closed soundlessly. "I… I—uh…"

"Perfect," he snapped again, and violently brushed past me, making me stumble and shoot him an aggravated glare. I watched him stomp down the stairs two at a time. I swayed on the spot confusedly, then shook my head and walked to his apartment door, opening it and depositing my shoes by the baseboard.

Everyone, save Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara, were sitting in the middle of the living room, at the coffee table. They all glanced up as I shut the door behind me.

"Reina," Genkai greeted gruffly.

I shrugged my backpack off my aching shoulders. "I've got the week. All we're going to need anyway," I said gruffly, and Genkai nodded in approval, a small frown pulling down the corners of her mouth as she remembered our shrinking time limit.

"Where's Kurama?" she asked.

"Reikai," I answered. I frowned. "He's coming back tonight I think. Early tomorrow morning at the latest. He said he needed to talk to Koenma."

She nodded at that information and sipped her tea.

"Where's Kuwabara?" I asked worriedly, walking towards the group and setting my backpack down on the couch, sitting on the back of it to face them. "Did he choke?" Can't say that I blamed him, what with the world ending in a week.

"He went to a concert," Yana said with an eye roll. "The apocalypse on our doorstep, and he abandons the group to go headbang somewhere. Said it was a once in a lifetime thing, and since… well, you know…"

"Yeah… I know," I muttered, crossing my legs and folding my arms.

Keiko, who was holding Puu, rose from her seat next to the window and took a few steps toward Genkai. "Do you think he should be going out alone?"

Genkai shook her head and set down her teacup. "No, but he needs some space. The enemy will have some trouble getting the upper hand with him anyway. I suspect he's actually going after Kuwabara—he's worried."

Keiko let Puu go and he fluttered to the windowsill, fluffing his feathers and ducking his beak under his wing. Keiko dusted off her palms. "Have any of you eaten? I can make something for us."

The boys all informed her that they were weak from hunger, and she made her way into the kitchen. I hesitantly sidled over there to help her.

"Listen… Keiko?"

She glanced up at me and lifted a single eyebrow. She didn't look mad per se, but she certainly didn't look pleased.

"I…" I grabbed one of the carrots she had pulled out of the refrigerator and began rummaging in the drawers for a peeler. "I'm sorry that I lied to you. I should have told you what was going on. I just… didn't want you to—"

"—To what, get hurt?" Keiko muttered, measuring a cupful of rice a little more vigorously than necessary. "I may be the only non-psychic human around here, but I'm not useless."

"I know that," I replied quietly, finding the peeler and walking over to the sink to start cleaning carrots. "However… we all have a bad habit of underestimating you. And all the guys have a bad habit of underestimating both of us. I know how you feel and I'm sorry for being a hypocrite." I focused on the carrot so I wouldn't cut myself, worrying my lip nervously as I waited for her response.

She was quiet as she worked at the stove, but then sighed. "I probably would've done the same thing, Reina… if I were you. I would've wanted to make sure you were safe too. I forgive you." I glanced over at her, and she shot me a smile. "Just don't do it again," she said lightly, pointing a paring knife at me. The act was slightly less terrifying than it should've been, and I laughed, nodding.

"Promise."

"DIMWIT…!"

Keiko and I both flinched as the sounds of blows and cries of shocked complaints reached our ears, glancing quickly at each other to exchange worried looks. We unanimously dropped our sponges and rags and made our way back out into the living room from the kitchen, which wasn't going anywhere and could be cleaned when there wasn't a crisis at hand.

"Goddamn it, Grandma!" Yusuke shouted from the hallway. He was sprawled out on the floor, rubbing his head and glaring viciously at the tiny, infuriated psychic. "What the hell was that for?"

"I thought you left the group to go after Kuwabara!" Genkai snarled, her hands clenched into fists, shoulders shaking with rage.

"I told you I was going to the freaking arcade!" Yusuke shot back, rising to his feet and crossing his arms angrily after dusting off the back of his jeans. Botan walked forward into the doorway, and I followed her. Keiko and the others lingered uneasily in the background.

"How old are you?" Genkai snapped. "Kuwabara can't use his powers right now and killers are stalking us. Ergo, you choose to play pinball."

"It's Kuwabara's fault!" Yusuke protested. "Besides, he's lost all of his power; his aura isn't gonna be on their radar. Even Reina's more of a threat to them right now!"

"I resent that," I muttered, frowning at him from around Botan's shoulder.

He ignored me and continued: "Why would they waste their time on a non-fighter?"

"He hasn't lost his powers, they just haven't awakened yet."

Botan, Yusuke, myself, and probably the others all glanced at Genkai confusedly.

"Next time you see him," she continued in a grim voice, "pay close attention to his aura. Its like an egg about to hatch. There is a perfectly good reason his power has been gone since the Tournament. Kuwabara has unparalleled spiritual awareness—I think his subconscious sensed the coming danger and sent his power into hibernation to grow stronger." She sighed tiredly. "I worry that the enemy will realize this as well and take him out before he meets his potential."

Yusuke's mouth popped open in shock and horror; he shut it quickly and took off wordlessly down the hall.

"Yusuke—wait!" Botan cried, giving chase. I followed both of them as they headed towards the stairs. By the time Botan and I reached the landing, Yusuke was already downstairs and out the door.

Without complaint, Botan and I ran down the last few flights and flew out the double doors at the bottom, skidding to a halt in the rain. A ribbon of lightning lit up the sky, I saw Yusuke disappear into an alley to our left.

"C'mon!" I ordered, grabbing Botan and running after him. My legs were burning—I regretted going to the gym earlier today. "He'll get himself killed if he doesn't watch out!"

"Which he won't," Botan puffed as we turned into the alleyway. "He's too worried to notice anything else."

I nodded my agreement and put on another burst of speed. I ran headlong into the back of Yusuke as we scampered out of the alleyway, grabbing his arm to keep myself from slipping on the slick concrete. The impact barely unbalanced him—Botan was able to stop herself before she crashed into us.

"You should go back," Yusuke said, turning to look at us as I took a few steps away from him, sidestepping a puddle. "I don't know if I can get Kuwabara and watch your backs too."

"We're here to watch your back," Botan argued quietly. Yusuke sighed but didn't counter her. He pushed some hair out of his face; it had been loosened from its gelled state by the rain.

"I can't find his signal," Botan added worriedly.

"Try looking for a strange territory," I advised, and pulled off the Barrier Stone, branching my own aura out to aid our search. It wouldn't help much, but I needed to be doing something. Botan nodded and lifted her wrist, checking her wristwatch. She tapped a few buttons and studied it, frowning.

"Where was that concert, Yusuke?" I asked, turning to him.

He threw his hands up in the air with a frustrated growl. "Hell if I know!"

"Do you even know who was playing?"

His deep frown told me all I needed to know.

"There could be posters somewhere around here," Botan offered after tapping her wristwatch a few more times dejectedly—it was obviously a Spirit Detective item, and wasn't working up to her standards. "We can figure out where it was and check out that area."

"There isn't enough time," Yusuke protested, running his fingers though his hair agitatedly, slinging water droplets on my shirt.

"And we'll waste it running around aimlessly," I said as calmly as I could. "We need to be using this time as judiciously as we can. Keep a lookout for posters and any strange auras."

We set out in a flat run down the street towards the center of town, checking street lamps and the sides of buildings for any posters advertising the concert that Kuwabara had gone to. There were some pieces of paper stuck to walls and posts here and there, but the rain had washed all the ink away. Yusuke crumpled up one of those and tossed the soggy thing to the ground with a faint plop.

"Any better ideas?" he asked me in an aggravated way. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could say a single syllable, chills raced up my spine.

A white-hot light exploded on the skyline to my right; all of us whirled around towards it as Botan's wristwatch went crazy, beeping, sensors spinning haphazardly.

"It's… off the charts!" Botan gasped as the watch suddenly went dead. She tapped it a few times and sighed heavily; it had shorted out.

"C'mon!" Yusuke ordered, and took off down the street, dodging a lonely Honda as it honked and swerved to not hit him, tires squealing as it hydroplaned slightly. Botan and I jumped up on the sidewalk and sprinted after Yusuke as he disappeared onto a side street. We caught up with him by ducking through an alleyway.

"Can't get it to work," Botan puffed frustratedly as she continued to tap the face of the watch.

"Don't worry, I've got it," Yusuke grunted.

"I can sense it too," I added quietly. Barely. But it was still there. The initial blast had been all to easy to sense; now it was a dull throbbing of energy ebbing in the distance.

Botan and I simply followed Yusuke as we continued to run.

After a few leg muscle-searing minutes during which I wanted to curl up on the sidewalk and call it a night, Yusuke skittered to a stop, throwing out his arm to halt us as well.

"This is my street!" he said after a few seconds of stunned silence. He turned and looked at Botan. "Did you get that thing working again…?"

Botan nodded in answer, breathing heavily, and showed him the watch. She took a deep breath, and pushed her bangs out of her face. "It says that the energy signature is here… maybe he made it back?"

Without waiting for her to add anything to that assumption, Yusuke turned and bolted down the sidewalk. With a weary sigh on my part, Botan and I followed him as he disappeared into his apartment building. The kid just didn't run out of steam, did he?

"Kuwabara!" Botan gasped as we ran through the doors.

He was lying on the ground. There were four boys lying next to him—three of which looked vaguely familiar. His friends, perhaps? They were all clearly unconscious, including the fourth one—who I didn't recognize. His chest was bleeding profusely.

When Kuwabara heard Botan, he twisted his head slightly (he was lying facedown on the floor) and grinned. "I… I saved all of them," he whispered with a trembling grin. Blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth.

"What the hell happened out there?" Yusuke demanded, kneeling next to his friend. "And whose energy was that…?!"

Kuwabara's smile didn't fade as his eyes slipped shut and he drifted off into unconsciousness.

"I'll get some help," I said quietly, and sidestepped Yusuke as he bent down to flip Kuwabara over. "We need to get them all upstairs."

I ran up three flights of steps and didn't break stride as I ran into Yusuke's apartment. Everyone looked up as I darted into the room.

"Kaito, Yana—Kuwabara and his friends are passed out downstairs. Come help carry them up," I said tersely. They rose without a word and followed me as I turned and left the apartment.

Yusuke was already heading up with Kuwabara in tow when we started heading down the stairs. He shifted Kuwabara's limp form in his fireman's carry and nodded at us once as he continued on.

"I've got this one," Botan told us as we reached the first floor. She was holding the boy with the chest wound up in a sitting position—he had stopped bleeding. "I healed him slightly so I could get him upstairs, but he'll need bandages."

Kaito grabbed one of Kuwabara's friends and Yana picked up another. He nodded at me and picked up the other under his arm; I lifted his legs so they wouldn't drag on the stairs as we slowly made our way up the stairs.

Eventually we made it upstairs; Keiko and Botan had set up cots on the floor for Kuwabara's friends. The injured one went on Yusuke's bed (Shizuru, who had arrived while Yusuke, Botan and I were out looking) was bandaging his wounds. Kuwabara was lying on a sleeping bag next to the bed, snoring away. He looked utterly at peace.

Yusuke was sitting in the chair at his desk, elbows on his knees, chin resting on his clasped hands. When I walked into the room, he glanced up.

"That one," he said, pointing at the boy on the bed, "is the psychic that attacked Kuwabara and his friends."

"…What?" I asked after a beat of confusion. "But why did Kuwabara—"

"—He woke up and told me that the kid was 'begging for help.' Something like that. He could see it in his eyes. Said his name was Mitarai."

"He's one of the Seven," I murmured.

Yusuke nodded. "Kuwabara's friends looked like they were half dead from drowning. We got them to throw up a shitload of water. If I had to take a guess I'd say this kid is Seaman."

"You're probably right." My eyes drifted to the boy. He had blond, curly hair that fell slightly in his eyes. His face was smooth and innocent, peaceful. "He can't be more than thirteen. He looks so… young." How could someone so young, someone who hadn't had enough time to really experience what the world had to offer, want to bring about its demise?

"I don't understand it," Yusuke muttered, as if he could hear my thoughts.

I nodded to myself, and glanced over at him. "Do you want the couch?"

He met my gaze and shook his head, quirking a small smile. "Nah. You can have it. I'll just stay here." He shot a watchful look over Mitarai's sleeping form, then over at Kuwabara. He frowned slightly as Kuwabara rolled over, grimacing in his sleep as his arm (which was bandaged) lightly brushed the edge of the nightstand.

I smiled slightly, understanding, and crossed the room to his closet, which I found was surprisingly neat when I slid the door open. There was a blanket on a high shelf; I reached up on tiptoe and grabbed it, shaking it out of its folds and tossing it over Yusuke's shoulders.

"Get as comfortable as you can be," I murmured, grabbing his shoulder and squeezing it gently before walking towards the door. "Goodnight Yusuke."

"Thanks, Sparky."

I woke with a start, jumping off the couch, eyes taking a few seconds to adjust to the darkness I had awoken to.

A blurry, dark shape held up its hands after closing the door behind him gently.

"It's just me," Kurama said quietly. "I apologize for startling you."

"Nah, don't," I said with a sigh of relief, sinking back down onto the couch. I patted the cushion next to me. "It was your aura. It means that I'm not getting rusty, which is a good thing. Come sit with me."

He chuckled slightly, and maneuvered through the room quietly and easily to join me on the couch. I fumbled for my pendant (which I had left on the coffee table) and pulled the chain over my head as he drew near.

"Were you able to talk to Koenma?" I asked in undertone (Keiko was sleeping in the armchair across the room.)

I saw him nod in the dim moonlight that filtered through the curtains. "Yes."

"Can I know what you asked him…?" I pressed after a few quiet moments.

Kurama breathed a small sigh, and reclined slightly, stretching one of his arms behind me. "He knows who the leader of the Seven is."

There was a long silence. All I could hear was my own pulse thrumming in my ears.

"A-and he didn't tell us?" I spluttered. Unbelievable. Why would he withhold that kind of information? Especially with our deadline!

"He was afraid that we would not be able to defeat him," Kurama murmured.

I slapped my hands down on my knees in frustration. "We don't have much of a choice, do we? Kind of like killing Toguro at the Dark Tournament—but Yusuke managed it anyway… but this time every life on this planet is at stake, not just ours!" I hesitated for a moment to catch my breath. I was wide awake now; my hands were clenched and trembling with rage and frustration in my lap.

"Who is he? How powerful is he? Is he of the demon or human persuasion? How did he recruit human psychics—?"

"—All very valid questions," Kurama interrupted, sounding slightly amused at my aggravation. His finger hooked around a lock of my hair and pulled it back behind my ear. "None of which I know the answers to—not yet at any rate. Koenma will be meeting with us all tomorrow to fill us in."

"How considerate of him," I mumbled scathingly.

We sat in silence for the better part of a minute. I leaned into Kurama's side to calm myself down somewhat, resting my head on his shoulder. He tilted his head slightly so his cheek was resting against the top of my head.

"Regardless," he whispered. "The leader, and his accomplices will be defeated. I will make sure of that." He turned his face, pressing his lips gently against my temple for half a second. "Do not fear the demise of this world and what that will mean for you. It is an impossibility."

"Last time you told me something was impossible, you were talking about Karasu getting to me," I mumbled. "I still had to fight him off before you finished him. And that was one demon, Kurama—one. This time around, you're going to be fighting off… basically, the entirety of Makai. Even you can't manage that..."

"Only if the tunnel is completed," he argued quietly. "And that will not happen, Reina."

"What if the leader is too strong for us? What if there's nothing we can do?" My words hung in the darkness around us, and I squeezed my eyes shut.

"I…" He paused. "I do not believe that will be the case. However, I have made arrangements for that circumstance."

"Oh?"

I felt him nod. "Plane tickets to America. Maine to be exact. For your family and mine."

I recoiled slightly to stare at him incredulously through the gloom. "We can't just run away," I whispered firmly. "That'll just prolong the inevitable…"

"It will buy me enough time to find the demon you're attached to, and kill it," he replied, eyes shining slightly in the darkness, reflecting the light of the moon. They looked black. "You'll be able to control your power and you won't die of exposure."

It took a few seconds for that to sink in, and click.

"I'm all for sending my family away from the tunnel and the demons pouring out of it," I said slowly as Keiko mumbled something and turned over in her sleep, "but I'm not leaving you here to fight my battles for me, Kurama. How do you expect to find that demon without me anyway?"

"I asked Koenma about it today," he replied patiently. "Something in the way he answered my question made me inclined to believe that his father may know something about the demon, and the very nature of your connection to it. He knew something, but no details. That information will most likely be hidden in King Enma's personal vaults, if even Koenma doesn't know about it. I would break into Reikai and find those files. I'm sorely tempted to do it regardless of the impending apocalypse," he added with a frown that I barely saw in the dark.

"Don't get locked in Reikai prison for me," I sighed, curling up against him again. "I don't think you'll get off for good behavior if you break into their vaults for a second time."

"You are probably right," he assented, and lapsed into silence. "I'll go on home so you can get some rest."

I shook my head. "No, don't worry. You can have the couch—you must be exhausted. Besides, we aren't supposed to split up—"

"—What Genkai doesn't know won't hurt her," he murmured playfully, and tousled my hair before standing up. He bent down and pecked me once on the cheek. "Sleep well. I'll be here early in the morning. Do you want to go to school tomorrow?"

"And miss out on Koenma's explanation? Hell no. I do need to make an appearance at my parent's house, though—to keep up the facade." I pulled my blanket back over my shoulders and punched my pillow once before flopping down and smiling up at him; I was sure he could see it even in the dark, what with his heightened demonic senses. "I'll see you tomorrow. Be careful."

"Always," he whispered, and left the apartment quietly. I pulled off my pendant and set it on the nightstand, frowning as I thought of the two souls trapped inside.

After all this is over... I thought towards them as Kurama's aura flickered on the edges of my awareness—he was wasting no time in getting home, which was good. I didn't want him to get ambushed.

I'll find a way to free both of you. I promise.

Kurama arrived early the next morning, and I groggily rolled off the couch and lumbered into the bathroom to change into my uniform. I then went to my parent's house, ate breakfast with them, and Kurama came back around to pick me up and "walk me to school." We walked towards Meiou, but as soon as my house was out of sight, took an alleyway to the next street over and doubled back.

By the time we got back, everyone was up (except Kuwabara and Mitarai; apparently while I was at my parent's house, Kuwabara's friends had woken up and Kurama had wiped their memories and sent them on their way after questioning them about what happened last night.)

Mitarai was indeed Seaman, and he was able to use his power by mixing his own blood with water. Once that was done, he could manipulate the water to take any form he pleased. He had created several monsters and almost drowned Kuwabara and his friends inside one.

Kaito and Yana had gone to the hospital in Mushiyori to keep Kido company, so they were gone. Keiko was milling about making breakfast, and after changing into capris and a tank top so my uniform wouldn't get dirty, I walked into the kitchen to see how I could help her.

"Is there anything I can do?" I asked hesitantly, keeping my distance so I wouldn't crowd her as she fried a couple eggs.

"Toast," she replied tiredly, ducking her head towards the toaster. "Bread is in the cabinet next to the refrigerator."

I silently walked to the refrigerator, pulling out the butter, and then reached up to the cabinet and pulled out a half loaf, and rummaged around for more, finding none.

"I'm going to the store later," Keiko informed me when she saw me searching. "It's not the only thing we're running out of."

"With all these boys living here, that's no surprise," I said with a small chuckle and walked over to the stove. I plugged in the toaster as Keiko flipped an egg over with a jerk of her wrist.

The toast popped up, and I started rummaging for a knife to butter it with.

"Here," Keiko said with a laugh, handing me a knife and reaching up to a cabinet over our heads, deftly pulling out a plate and setting it down on the counter. Puu fluttered over and I waved him off as I plucked the toast from the toaster, rolling my eyes.

"What would I do without you?" I teased, bumping her with my hip. She snorted, bumped me back, and shook her head, grinning.

After everyone had eaten, we all milled about worriedly, waiting for Koenma. Yusuke was the only one not in the room; he stayed in his room with Mitarai and Kuwabara, keeping an eye on both of them.

I was sitting with Puu in my lap when Yusuke's grim voice reached my ears.

"Guys… the kid that attacked Kuwabara is waking up. Get in here."

Genkai was the first one in the door; everyone filed into the room in front of me. Kurama waved me forward and I walked inside, sidestepping Genkai to stand next to Botan in front of the window.

Mitarai was tossing and turning under the sheets, sweating, his face screwed up in a tense, agonized expression. Yusuke flipped his chair around and sat on it backwards, crossing his arms over the back of the chair and resting his chin upon them to fix the boy with an unmoving stare. Waiting.

Suddenly, Mitarai shot up into a sitting position with a yelp, then automatically winced and clutched at his bandaged chest, grimacing at the pain.

"Good morning," Yusuke snapped.

The boy let out a squeak of surprise and fear and glanced up sharply—looking around at us all. When his gaze met mine, I could see that his eyes were a shocking shade of blue—and very wide. He was utterly terrified.

"Y-you're… Yusuke…" he whispered, flicking his eyes to the Detective's face.

Yusuke nodded once. "That's right, goldie," he replied curtly. "And that's my bed you're sleeping in. All thanks to the human freight train who dragged you back here so we could stitch you back up." Yusuke lifted his arm and jerked a cursory thumb in Kuwabara's direction (he was still sprawled out on the floor, snoring quite loudly.)

Mitarai glanced over at Kuwabara with a confused expression, brows furrowing over his eyes.

"His friends—your victims—survived as well," Kurama added quietly. "We erased their memories so they wouldn't be burdened by the darker truths."

"Like a human fighting for the wrong side," Yusuke put in.

Mitarai set his jaw and averted his gaze to his hands, which were folded in his lap. They clenched into fists.

"Kuwabara saved your life when you tried to kill him," Yusuke continued darkly. "Something your psychic pals wouldn't do for you. You owe him big—so start talking."

Mitarai was shaking his head long before Yusuke had finished talking. "No… you don't understand," he murmured distractedly. "You haven't seen the things I have—if you had, then you would realize that we all deserve to die…"

Kurama tilted his head slightly, frowning. "Define 'all.' Do you mean your fellow psychics? Or…?"

"No, I mean all of us—humans." He jerked his head around to look at us with a wild gleam in his eyes. "You would think so too if you saw the videotape!" he exclaimed desperately, clutching at his wound.

"What video?" I pressed.

Mitarai's lip quivered; he averted his gaze again. "He called it… Chapter Black."

I heard Kurama let out a surprised hiss; when I glanced over at him his eyes were wide and fixed on Mitarai.

"You've seen it?" he demanded sharply.

Mitarai closed his eyes. "Every minute."

There was a long silence, during which Shizuru, Botan, Keiko and I glanced at each other confusedly as the tension in the air rose and grew past its breaking point.

"What the hell is Chapter Black?" Yusuke muttered, glancing over at Kurama.

"It's legendary… Hiei's been wanting to get his hands on it for years." Kurama crossed his arms, shaking his head in wonderment. "It is a piece of intelligence supposedly kept in the bowels of Reikai's records department…"

"Go on," Yusuke said with an apprehensive sort of glare.

Kurama nodded. "Over its millennia of existence, the human race has committed heinous acts against others and their own race. This videotape—Chapter Black—is a compilation. It documents the most unspeakable acts of all. It's said to run thousands of hours…"

I shifted my weight nervously and glanced over at Genkai. Her eyes were closed and her head was bowed. She had a grim expression on her face.

This couldn't be good.

"I knew well of the tape's existence," Kurama continued quietly, "but never imagined it could be part of this case…"

Mitarai's entire body was trembling at this point; his shoulders were hunched. And though he was looking at us, his eyes saw nothing. His gaze was blank and distant.

"So many horrible things marching across that screen…" he whispered mostly to himself. "You don't know how we really are—what we're capable of." He looked at Yusuke. "I saw it all. If you saw it, you'd think differently too. You'd understand why we're doing this. You'd understand that we have to—"

"—Have to what?!" Yusuke snapped suddenly, rising to his feet and shoving his chair off to the side. He took a few steps toward the bed, looming over Mitarai. "Get eaten up by a bunch of bloodthirsty monsters…?"

"That's right!" Mitarai shouted back. There were tears pouring down his face. "You're defensive because you don't know the truth! Humanity only seems worth defending because you were born in a peaceful time! But war's our nature—it'll always come back. Have you ever seen hundreds of frightened people standing in line to be killed in a camp?"

Yusuke recoiled slightly, shoulders tense.

Mitarai continued, dragging a hand across his eyes to wipe away the tears, but more came. "H-have you seen horsemen raid and destroy a village—dancing on the bodies of their victims?!" His voice rose and quivered with every word. "Have you ever seen a single bomb wipe away millions of innocent people who had never even picked up a weapon?!" Emotion overcame him and he buried his face in his hands, shoulders heaving. And then he screamed—an awful, desperate plea:

"Civil war, where mothers are hacked down in front their children, and children in front of their mothers! And a soldier… a soldier…" He lifted his face and looked at all of us with his tortured, frightened gaze. "Tearing a family apart and leading them to a fire to be burned alive… his eyes enjoying the torture…" the last word was a mere breath.

Keiko let out a strangled sob, clapping a hand over her mouth. Shizuru wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her out of the room. I swallowed my own emotions and blinked rapidly as I saw her dissolve into horrified grief. I reached out and grabbed Botan's elbow and she leaned against my shoulder for support.

Mitarai was both laughing—a horrible choked sound—and crying, rocking slightly where he sat, his arms curled tightly around himself. "And you think you're better then them? I know I'm not…"

Yusuke's hands balled up into fists. "What about Kuwabara?" he demanded, and Mitarai sucked in a sharp breath. "He told me why he saved you last night when he came to for a minute. I asked him: 'Kuwabara, you idiot—why the hell did you save that jerk?' And he said… 'Because, Urameshi… in his eyes, he was crying for help.'"

Mitarai looked utterly stricken, his lips still quivering slightly as tears seeped out of the corners of his eyes.

Yusuke sighed and rolled his shoulders, crossing his arms. "I thought it was really stupid, but looking at you now I can see he was right about that. A big idiot like Kuwabara—I bet he's got that bully look you hate. But he still cared about you enough to drag you back here to get stitched up… guess you weren't expecting that, were you goldie?"

Mitarai ducked and curled his arms around his head, bending over his legs and hiding his face in the sheets. "I-I don't know," he whispered. "It's not like he said…! Every night I see the people on the tape… I used to think I was one of them. But in my nightmares… I'm the one killing them. I'm the monster…"

He looked up at us, rivers running down his face, his eyes desperately seeking out some sort of reassurance, something to hold on to. "And I feel dirtier and dirtier as I watch them die—as I watch myself kill them. And I feel like I need to make up for something… but I don't even know what…"

He curled back into himself, burying his face in his arms.

"I'm sorry—!" he sobbed. "I'm so sorry…"

Kurama walked forward and touched Yusuke's shoulder. "We should let him be—for now," he suggested quietly as Mitarai cried into the sheets. "He has to face his own demons before he faces us…"

Yusuke nodded and walked out of the room after Genkai. Kurama followed him, and Botan took a few hesitant steps towards Mitarai, and sat down on the edge of the mattress, peering at him worriedly.

I plucked a box of tissues off the nightstand and sat down next to her, holding it out to the boy.

"Here, kid," I said in undertone, trying not to scare him. He still jolted up into a sitting position, staring at me worriedly. Then his expression became defensive and almost… angry.

"If Kuwabara isn't evil at heart, then you are, Reina," he told me in what would've been a growl if he wasn't still crying. "We know about you, and your power—you attack demons automatically… with no remorse."

"We?" I asked once I had gathered my thoughts. His verbal attack had taken me completely by surprise. "Oh. You mean the Seven… your group. You've been keeping tabs on me?" My pulse thudded nervously; I glanced towards the window to make sure one of them wasn't watching.

"All of you," Mitarai muttered. "But you're an example of what humanity is at its core. Needlessly violent…"

I sighed heavily, dropping the tissue box to rub my temples. "I don't want my power to act that way; I have no control over it," I explained wearily, dropping my hands and glancing over at him. I reached up and pulled out my pendant. "That's why I wear this. It binds my powers, keeps it from attacking every demon I meet. Even though this little necklace…" I swung it from my fingers; it swayed like a pendulum, "has the potential to kill me by ripping my soul from my body. I'd rather take that chance than kill or harm needlessly."

Mitarai's expression dimmed slightly, the anger being replaced by confusion again. "But…"

"Humanity isn't inherently evil, Mitarai," I said gently. "Some people can be. I know that; I've experienced it too—though certainly not to the degree that you have. But as a whole, people aren't nearly as bad as you've been led to believe they are, Mitarai."

"I…" he faltered over his words and fell silent, then grabbed a couple tissues from the box and rubbed them over his eyes and nose.

I reached out and lightly placed my hand on his shoulder. "If you need to talk to someone… or accuse, or yell, or vent—anything at all, Mitarai… we're here. The guys aren't very wordy, but all of us, we're here to help you. Okay?"

He bit his lip to keep it from quivering, and nodded once. I shot him a small smile, squeezed his shoulder, and stood.

"Let me see your wound," Botan said gently, turning towards him. "I think it might need to be re-wrapped…"

I left the room as she started unwinding the bandages that wound around his torso, and closed the door behind me as I walked into the next room.

I was promptly greeted by the sight of an absolutely infuriated Yusuke, who was kneeling on the floor next to the coffee table, screaming with the decibel force of a thousand banshees into his Detective briefcase:

"Earth to toddler BITCH!" he bellowed, grabbing the sides of the briefcase and shaking it a little, making it skitter on the surface of the table. I pulled off my pendant; this was going to be good. "You'd better speak NOW before I forever shove that stupid pacifier ten inches down your THROAT…!"

Botan burst out of Yusuke's bedroom; Kurama walked into the apartment from the balcony, looking somewhat frustrated. Genkai walked up behind Yusuke and peered down at the screen over his shoulder. I edged closer to do the same.

"Kurama just told me that you know who we're up against!" Yusuke accused. "Why the hell haven't you told me?!"

Koenma's image on the screen sighed and rubbed his temples. "I wasn't positive until I saw that the videotape had been used in this case. Only one man has a copy of that—and I didn't want to believe that it was him…"

"Yeah yeah, go on," Yusuke snarled.

Koenma frowned at him, and let out another heavy sigh. "Very well. The name of the mastermind behind this plan… is Shinobu Sensui.

"And he was the Spirit Detective before you came along, Yusuke."

The big bad guy has been revealed! Hahaha, leave a review, tell me how you liked it. The next chapter may take a little while, what with my horrific college schedule. Make things easier on yourselves and put me on Story Alert so you don't check back and get disappointed :