E.H.:

So…I admit to have probably scaring some people today. I was writing the fighting and Junta scenes in my notebook today while at work. I drive a van to pick up kids from school to carry back to the daycare I work in and people pass by my van. I got some strange looks as I wrote. I apparently make faces while writing. Sometimes they are angry and sometimes I even tear up. Today…I must have looked really psychotic.

In any case, on to the thanks section! Thank you so very much my lovely reviewers! I can't tell you how much I love reading your reviews and seeing how you enjoyed the chapters and what you thought! I can't wait to read your reviews on this next one! This chapter is for you, SakiHanajima1, Kunoichi Chaos, Mizz Ri, and Juliedoo!

Tangles of Fate

Three demons darted across the Demon World landscape. They were well into day four of their journey. Unlike their human counterparts, they did not tire so easily. As the sun set on the fourth day, they stopped to rest. Hiei had informed them curtly that they were nearly there. Yusuke stared at the fire blankly while his stomach roiled loudly. Kurama leaned against a tree trunk; the picture of casual ease. Hiei sat on a branch with his right knee propped while resting his sword on his left shoulder.

"All I'm gonna say is a friggin' steak sounds amazin'."

Kurama snorted, shaking his head. His nerves were frayed to the point that Yusuke's blunt humor was a much appreciated relief from the tension.

"Hn." Hiei grunted while he smirked amusedly.

"Perhaps one of us should hunt?" Kurama suggested. Yusuke stood and stretched; several joints popping from the action.

"Well, guess that's my call." He started off into the undergrowth.

"Be wary of your surroundings, Yusuke."

Yusuke snorted at Kurama's warning; he pointed his thumb into his chest. "C'mon Kurama! This's me we're talkin' 'bout!" The detective turned and tucked his hands behind his head while he walked away out of sight.

"Let him be." Hiei snorted from his perch. "If he's killed, it's his own damn fault."

"You put too much faith in his cognitive skills."

"Ha! I put no faith in his cognitive abilities, Fox. I simply know him."

Kurama smirked with a shaking of his head. "I suppose that is true."

…..

Nabi came to with a throbbing head and wrists. As she opened her eyes, an all too familiar scent hit her dead on. Ice. Cold. Had Junta really brought her here? Her tired eyes found the small pond farther ahead, toward undoubtedly the entrance of the cavern. A cry wrenched itself free from her as she was hit with recognition. Footfalls echoed through the cave as Junta came into sight. As soon as he was within reach, she gripped the rock chains firmly. She lifted her feet up and slammed them with everything she had squarely into his chest. The slam of his body connecting with the rocky wall was satisfying.

"How dare you bring me here!" She spat as fury hazed over her vision. "You of all people have no right to set foot upon this sacred ground! Bastard!"

Junta spat out the blood he'd spilt from his now split lip. Rising, he glared at her. He raised a closed fist and a rock duplicate rose before her simultaneously. The fist then smashed into her already bruised gut. A guttural, wheezing sound of pain choked free as she bent from the force. "You just won't learn, will you?"

"D-damn…y-you…"

"Such sweet words." Junta closed his eyes with a sickeningly satisfied sigh; he was savoring her words. "I can't wait to hear you scream them as you are tortured relentlessly." He stepped forward and began to release the rock chains from their connections in the rock wall. "Before you get any ideas, the rendezvous team is nearly here. They'll be taking through the portal since we can't you seeing the way there. Your little psychic friend would easily be able to pick that from your head."

Her legs crumbled beneath her full weight as she fell upon them. Junta roughly yanked her to her feet; he dragged her from the cave into the biting cold. She seized as her tattered clothes allowed so much flesh into direct contact with the icy snow. Her hands moved up to clench over his hand in her hair. She dug her nails in; Junta wrenched her head to the side and back to slam her temple into his knee. Her teeth clamped down on her cheek to keep her howl of pain from escaping. She'd never give him that satisfaction. Her body was beginning to numb to the excruciating cold. Junta dragged her body all the way down to the remnants of their village. He threw her against a drift of snow. She lifted her head and felt her entire frame go still. Scarred huts met her grey-eyed gaze. They stuck out of the snow; a perfect memory of what she'd seen all those years ago. Her eyes slid to Junta.

She could almost see them as they were so long ago. If only it'd been that simple always. Her hands dug into the icy ground. The wind howled, blowing her loose white hair around her face. Clarity rang through the surroundings. She may have her energy blocked, but she felt them; she could feel the very presence of the dragons. Closing her eyes, she reached past the block. She had to grit her teeth and ignore the pulsing pain. There it was; a brush from them. They were trying to reach her. They spoke one phrase as a single voiced entity. Their combined voices were as an earthquake to her soul; a hurricane to her ears.

"Allow us, child…to take control."

She obeyed, letting go. They flowed through her, infusing her with their strength and power. Her eyes snapped open; pure snow white irises glowed with energy as it crackled outward from them. She rose from the snow fluidly. Nabi was a puppet to the combined forces of all six dragons at once. Her white, scarred tattoo of the dragons' contract on her back incinerated the remnants of the back of her shirt. Junta spun and faltered a step. Her lips moved into a vindictive smirk as they moved; a raspy combination of her voice and all the dragons melded into one.

"Your mistake, boy." She raised both her arms out to her sides; the wind and snow froze in time. The frozen earth shot forth to join the snow and air from underneath the snowy blanket; a bank of snow melted to its liquid form to join the jumble. Fire sparked within the air around them and ignited spontaneously in a spiraling motion while lightning scattered from her to join the bramble. Silence fell over the landscape. "This is your grave." Sound exploded into motion as all six elements blended into one motion. Junta was elevated by the elements before each dragon took its turn literally tearing piece after piece out of him. Blood dyed everything in splatters of red as his screams of horrified agony were muted by the thunderous roar of the combined elements.

…..

Yusuke was dragging his find back to camp when he felt the explosion of energy. His body went still before he left the catch and darted into the campsite. Both demons were on the ground, weapons drawn. All three men's' eyes met before they all dashed into the mountain pass. They ran with all they had in them to reach the crest. Kurama's eyes widened as he remembered this pass. He motioned them to follow him and took the short-cut through the cave system.

"What the hell am I sensin'?!" Yusuke asked while sprinting beside Kurama.

"I am not sure! Whatever it is, it is highly powerful and no doubt deadly!" Kurama responded, keeping his eyes ahead.

"Up ahead!" Hiei nodded to the yawning opening to the end of the caverns. With their demon speed, they reached the snowy scape in minutes.

They skid to a halt in the snow as a dead village met their eyes. In the middle of the village stood a very deadly Inabi. In the air, suspended above her was the same bastard demon that had stolen her away. They couldn't hear over the thunderous roar of Nabi's full power. They could see the demon screaming and writhing within the cloud of elements. The demon managed to turn his eyes to them, pleading them silently to save him. They watched as the elements seemed to have the form of dragons taking bites; bites out of the demon. With each bite came a splattering of red on the pristine white snow. Yusuke felt his eyes widen in horror. He'd seen a lot in his time fighting; but this? This was truly torturous…the demon was obviously being kept alive to survive. If Nabi could do this all along…what had stopped her from doing this before? In that moment, Yusuke realized just how true she'd really been to her word all along.

"…Should we…stop her?" Yusuke asked, glancing at the other two.

Hiei was quiet, actually watching the even in open awe. He turned his gaze to Yusuke and blinked as if trying to figure that out himself. Yusuke wasn't sure how to take that to be honest. He looked to Kurama.

Kurama glared at the demon within the torrent of death. "No. He is to suffer to the fullest for all that he's done."

Yusuke looked between them before motioning. "Look, I'm all for gettin' even and all that shit…but she'd fuckin' torturing him! Really, really painfully! With no mercy!"

"He is the reason for her village's destruction."

"What?!" Yusuke's head snapped back to the dying bastard. "How the hell do you know that?"

Kurama closed his eyes as guilt covered his face. "It is…complicated."

Hiei gave Kurama a knowing look before glaring back at the bastard. "Hn. Let him suffer."

Yusuke faltered, "I know I'm not the poster child for bein' exactly moral, but doesn't that seem a little…harsh to you guys?"

"Don't interfere, Yusuke." Kurama warned, glancing at Yusuke. "There is no telling what Nabi will do at this point if you try to get in the middle."

Yusuke made a noise of disapproval, but crossed his arms and turned back.

…..

Junta screamed continuously, though no sound reached her. All that reached her was the feel of his body breaking down. She didn't have much longer as her energy began to wane. The dragons slowed and began to pull back. She could feel each of them individually and all as one at the same time. Nabi's mind was elsewhere, replaying instances of her childhood; of times when her village was not under attack or being destroyed.

Her mother's face smiling at her from the hut; her father's large hand ruffling her hair affectionately. Hakuro-sama's lessons that never really pertained to her much; the sounds of Junta, Miro, and Kouta playing outside. With each image came a tear that rolled down her cheek. She would never see or hear these things again. She would never feel her parents' loving embraces again.

"Child, we must let go now." Mizuryuu whispered through her conscience. Her inner self nodded once before she watched the dragons fly off one by one.

The roar suddenly stopped as each element free-fell back to the ground. Junta fell with them, grotesquely disfigured…however somehow still alive. He hit the ground with a reverberating snapping sound. Nabi stood as her energy drained away almost completely. Her knees buckled as she plummeted. She wasn't sure why, but she hallucinated hearing Kurama cry her name as she fell. Her body was cradled by the red stained softness of the snow. Her eyes were so blurred and unfocused that she imagined the red snow to be Kurama's red hair as he knelt beside her. A tear rolled down her cheek as she smirked at the ludicrous delusion. Closing her eyes, she succumbed to the darkness. The agents of Kasaru would probably arrive after she died from hypothermia. At least it was over; she had come so close to avenging them.

'I would never be able to avenge them now if I did live…'

…..

A soft, warm breeze blew over her. She could feel softness beneath her tired body. Calm breaths moved through her lungs. She almost wondered if she was lying on a beach with the way the air moved over her body calmly. She remembered being severely cold; was she in Spirit World? Did Koenma just decide to place her quickly without her even having to pass through terminals? Did Botan…did Botan have to carry her into the next plane of her Spirit World life? A shard of sadness went through her like glass. Poor Botan. If she was the ferry girl that had been assigned to her after all, she would be a mess. A hand, warm on her skin, moved over her forehead. She could feel her bangs moved with it. A sharp pain raced through her face. A grunt escaped her as her eyes fluttered. Then, as if a door had been opened within her, her entire body seemed to remember how much pain she'd been in when she had fallen. A gasp escaped her lips as her entire body set out to remind her of how many injuries she'd sustained. Her eyes opened to a blinding light. She squinted them quickly and threw her arm over her eyes. The movement made her limb ache angrily.

"If this is the afterlife, I would like to see Koenma so that I may have a few stern words with him…" She murmured. A chuckle answered her.

"Indeed, I would too were I in your position. However, rest assured, you are far from death."

Her heart clenched at the sound of a very familiar voice.

"Kurama." She stated, already knowing now from the energy she could now sense coming from him.

"Yes." His voice was soft as a soft cloth brushed over a sensitive injury. She hissed and dropped her arm. "Sorry."

She turned her eyes away from the red-head hovering over her. "Where is Botan?"

"She is…preoccupied."

"Do not play coy with me, Kurama. Where is she?"

"…" He sighed, the sound of water dripping into a bowl filled the air between them. "She is with Shizuru. She was rather hysterical when we brought you back."

"I would assume as much."

"It was Yukina's suggestion to keep her away in order for you to rest properly. Your injuries were quite…" He paused and when he spoke again, his voice was thick with emotion. She could easily hear the barely suppressed anger. "Substantial. I aided Yukina in the process of healing your wounds. I fear…your wrists will never…heal completely unscathed. They will scar."

A snort of derision wormed free. "What is one more scar to add to my collection from that place?"

"Nabi—"

"Don't!" She snapped, pulling away. "Please, just don't. You…will never fully understand."

"No. I will not."

"Perhaps, you were always right. I know now why you pulled away from me. You knew."

Her eyes found his. He had carefully concealed his emotions but even so, she could see the guilt in those green eyes. "Would you prefer I lie to you?"

"No."

"Do you even desire to know the full story or do you wish for me to leave you completely alone? I…am going to do something that goes completely against my better judgment and…leave it up to you." As soon as the words left his lips, he grimaced. "That is not what I intended to say."

"What is it you intended to say?" She wanted to growl at herself for feeling amusement rise at the sight of him flustered.

"I simply desire for you to tell me what it is that you wish of me. I cannot walk away from you easily without knowing for certain that you do not desire to…" He made a noise of frustration. "I'm sorry. Forgive me." He rose and left the room in a flurry; an angry flurry at that.

Nabi felt more confused now than when she'd awakened to find herself alive. She yelled at the ceiling in frustration and slammed her fist into the floor. She ignored the spindles of discomfort that raced up her arm. Unable to lie still, she rolled to her side and lifted herself to her knees. With gritted teeth, she pushed past unbearable annoyance of restrictions her body tried to place upon her. Her legs wobbled a bit from the pressure of her body weight as she made her way out the door leading outside. She drew up short as the sight of Plum blossoms filled her vision. The medium pink blooms surrounded the pond from the two trees that sat side by side. Her hands rose to her lips shakily as she stared in awe of the beauty. She slowly walked out onto the walkway and carefully dropped down. Her feet led her to the trees. She reached the first one and stared at the base where a wooden plaque was placed with a beautifully hand-calligraphy name upon it. She lost all strength in her legs as she crumpled before it. She stared blankly at the plaque as someone came to a stop beside her.

"He asked Koenma for your parents' names." Shizuru stated, kneeling beside her. "It doesn't forgive him. But hell, at least it's a start."

Nabi felt her lips quiver as she read her mother's name. "Kurama did this."

"Yeah. It wasn't easy for him to do, either. He even planted and grew these in their memory…" Shizuru nodded to the trees. She sighed and rose from her kneeled spot. "Think about it, okay? Give the guy a chance and at least think about it. He isn't the same demon he was in the past."

Nabi flicked her gaze to Shizuru's retreating form for a moment before her gaze landed back on her mother's name. She rose and walked to the other tree. Her father's name reached out to her as she bent and ran her fingertips over the carefully done strokes of black paint. Closing her eyes, she envisioned her father. His hair was always pulled back into that ratty pony-tail that her mother always hated. His eyes were crystalline sky-blue, laughing with mirth. His ridiculous goatee was always kept so carefully while he never cared about his hair. That was the sky within him; the carefree soaring of the sky mixed with the soothing comfort of water. He'd been chosen by Mizuryuu and Soraryuu. A smile touched her lips as she stood fully. Her eyes opened and she looked to her mother's name again. Her mother's face easily came to her mind. The soft planes of her gentle face smiled at her. Her dark-blue eyes always smiled with motherly love. She'd been chosen by Mizuryuu alone. She had always lived life fluidly and always in a calm fashion. Oh, how Nabi missed her. She touched her fingertips to her lips and brushed her hands over each name lovingly.

"Momma, Papa…" She rose and crossed the garden back to her room. She re-entered the room and gathered together some clean clothes and headed to the bath. Once she felt sufficiently clean, she dried and dressed. With her hair down, she brushed through it carefully and allowed it to fall down her back.

She made her way to the room where they usually held meetings. She paused outside the door as she heard Yusuke talking.

"So…you didn't have to tell her, huh? She already knew."

"Yes." Kurama replied.

"So, whatcha gonna do 'bout it, Kurama?" Kuwabara asked loudly. "I mean, ya know…she probably doesn't really like ya much now."

"Well, no shit, Sherlock." Yusuke drawled.

"'Ey! Get off me, Urameshi! I'd be pretty pissed if I found out the dude that was like…my friend and stuff was really the guy who helped kill my family!"

"But did…you really help kill them, Kurama?" Yukina's voice was soft but easily heard.

"I did not do any of the killings, no. However, I was still…present. I didn't stop them. That alone makes me just as guilty."

"But—" Shiyu began only to shut up as she spotted Nabi entering the room.

Kurama turned and stared at her, shocked at first. Before anyone could move or speak, Nabi held up her hand. "Before I make any decisions, I want to hear the entire story. I owe you that much."

Kurama shifted and looked hesitant. "Are you certain?"

Nabi moved and sat beside Shiyu. "Yes."

Kuwabara moved and looked at Nabi. "Ya know, you don't hafta—"

"Quite the contrary, Kuwabara. I do need to hear this."

Kurama nodded once. "May I ask everyone else to leave?"

"It would be preferred." Nabi answered honestly.

"What? I wanna see this!" Yusuke started only to be shoved by Keiko.

"Give them the time they deserve, Yusuke." Keiko muttered while pushing Yusuke to the door. Kuwabara was the last to leave. He hesitated in the doorway.

"Nabi…Kurama's a good guy. He ain't got a bad bone in his body." He then turned and slunk out, closing the door.

Kurama let out a breath and ran his hand over his face. He moved across from her and sat. "As you now know I was…involved…in the raid upon your village. I was the leader of a famous group of rogue demons known as the Bandits of Demon World. We were renowned for our crimes throughout Demon and Spirit World. We had taken up camp not far from where your village was; within the mountain's many caverns. One of your villagers came to my men while I was out hunting with a band of hand-picked hunters from my group. He told them of your village and of a unique demon. Supposedly, she was the strongest among them and had been chosen by six dragons which was unheard of by them. She would be…worth a lot upon the Demon Market. The men did not think it through and chose the next day to raid. I was informed on the fly as they all left that morning. I was a strategic thinker; a fact I've never quite parted with. Their raid was…preposterous and idiotic at best."

Nabi shifted, uncomfortable with what he was saying. He had thought of her then, a child, as money. She closed her eyes and reigned in her emotions before she opened them again and nodded for him to continue. He studied her carefully before nodding.

"I came upon the raid in the midst of it. I, admittedly, did not stop them. My mind was not one of thinking about others feelings or lives. I sought the prize; the best loot. When I saw they were attacking the villagers, I knew they had not found you. I followed a small energy signature into a hidden cave. As soon as I came upon it…the energy was gone. I inspected the cave and left it believing that…it was empty. There was only a small pond and a boulder. Honestly, I felt annoyed that I had been following a dead-end. I returned to the village and…allowed my men to do what they would. They killed the priest while I robbed the temple. They then set the temple ablaze last. I left them to their devices and found the brat waiting for me. He…asked if we had found her and…I was rather angered by him. I left him with scars upon his back for his more-or-less useless leads. I allowed him to live; a fact I know regret greatly."

She watched him as he sat there. He averted his gaze from hers after he finished his story. Silence fell over them. She couldn't lie and say she wasn't angry; sad and a bit betrayed. But, she couldn't also remain that way with him. A fact that agitated her on a phenomenal level. He spoke again, looking down at his clasped hands that rested on his knees.

"I do not expect for you to forgive me. Nor do I expect anything from you, Inabi. I wish you to know the truth and do with it what you must."

"The plum blooms…"

He looked up a bit confused as to her change in topic. "Yes…?"

"They are very beautiful."

"Thank you."

"A man who murders in cold blood does not…plant flowers in memorial to his victims."

His eyes slid shut, no doubt to mask whatever emotion was in them.

"I will be able to forgive you…in time. Right now, I am not certain on what I feel to be honest. I feel very confused and torn. Part of me wishes to do you bodily harm; but the rest of me just wants to let it go. I have searched and hunted for the ones who killed my parents for so long that now…? I just…don't know what to do now that I know. The ones who truly murdered my parents are already long gone and dead."

"Would you prefer that I kept my distance from you? If so, I will pack up and leave this evening."

Nabi laughed breathlessly, causing Kurama to look at her oddly. "Why would I wish for that?"

"I…I am not sure I understand."

"I may be upset with you, Kurama…but I cannot ask you to leave your friends just so that I can feel more comfortable." Nabi rose from her seat. She shrugged, having picked it up from Shiyu and Botan. Kurama rose as well. She turned and moved to leave only to be stopped by him. Kurama looked at her for a moment before pulling her back to him. She allowed him, this time prepared. He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She closed her eyes and let her body slack. He didn't deepen it, instead he stepped back and looked away.

"Again, I should not have done that."

She felt a wry smirk tug at her. "No. You should not have. But I must admit, I'm not too displeased with the outcome of your thoughtlessness." As she stood there, she felt a wave of fatigue. With the reminder of how weak she was came the next wave of thought. "What became of Junta?"

Kurama's pleasant expression soured into one she'd not seen on his face before. Hate. "He came to his end."

She closed her eyes and grimaced. "I killed him?"

"No."

Her eyes flew open with a frown. "Then if I did not…?"

"I did." He stared openly in her face. "He fell from your dragon attack's grip and broke both legs. However, once you were passed out from overexertion…he attempted to drag himself to you. He encased you in a, thankfully, weak rock fist. Yusuke shattered the rock with his spirit gun blast." An oddly dark smirk contorted Kurama's lips. "Hiei removed his fist in compensation while I…assisted him. It is quite an interesting reaction when one uses the ningenhana on a pureblooded demon then a death plant following after."

"You…tortured him to death?"

"He deserved no less."

She sighed and looked away. "I wish…I could argue that."

"Your hands were saved from being dyed red."

"No. They were not. You cannot convince me otherwise for you know the truth as well as I."

"You merely enabled his death. I acted upon it."

"Kurama…"

"Yes, Nabi?"

"I want you to know that I truly fear you."

Kurama laughed, shaking his head. "No need to fear me."

"Oh, I have very many reasons to fear you."

"Oh? How so?"

Nabi turned and began to tick them off on her fingers. "Deadly plants, strength, agility, wit, strategic planning…"

"Is he dead yet?!" Yusuke hollered from the doorway.

Nabi glanced at the doorway. "Should I," before she could finish a plant vine was already through the bottom of the door, "reply?"

Yusuke yelped as the vine grabbed him. A blue flash showed through the cracks of the door before the vine went slack. "Kurama! You sneaky bastard!"

"Urameshi Yusuke! What have I told you about using that blasted gun inside!?" Keiko's voice followed after.

Nabi rolled her eyes before she walked to the door. "Men." She opened the door and shook her head at Yusuke as he tried to placate Keiko. She walked away down the hallway to her room. Once inside she stared at her futon longingly. Lying down, she closed her eyes. A small snort came from her. She wasn't sure what kind box she'd just opened up at this point in her life; but she wasn't regretting it. For now, she'd enjoy what little peace she had. She knew the other shoe was bound to drop soon.

Bwahahaa! Take that sucker! Die, die, die, Junta! .;;; So…he's dead. Good freakin' riddance. If you guys remember from Dead Never Changed Anything, Kurama uses the Ningenhana (Human Flower) to heal Shiyu. Well…it heals full blooded demons…and then he used the death plant which kills demons…and vice versa until Junta…died. So…not so happy for him and totally happy for me! I've never written an OC before to just kill off for my own masochistic glee. Well…besides Yamitori…but that's another story.

Quick reference for you guys! Plum Blossoms generally (according to the websites I checked…so it could be wrong) bloom in February. So we can safely (and will be apparent later) assume that it is now February in the story. (Wink, wink)

It's the weekend! So I'll probably be updating a few times this weekend! Love ya'll! Hope you enjoyed this last chapter and I promise that some more development between Kurama and Nabi will happen soon! Of course, with a good, healthy dose of bad schtuff too!

Erika Hearken