Wooop~! Updating a day early :D ENJOY!

middlekertz: *bows* thank you :3

DemonMiko Jenna: Aww that's ok! Thank you for reviewing last chapter anyways~ And I know xD I know I must've been pushing it with that, but I figured that if Hiei could be made angry enough, he just might do it XP

dragoscilvio: Hahaha! Omg! I am too XD But even as the one who's pulling the strings behind this story, I don't think they're quite there yet ;D Not for a while- but stick around to find out! :D

FireStorm1991: aww :D thank you!

Sures1109: x'I You're going to make me tear up! Thank you so much! Haha, I couldn't wait to put that scene in when I thought about it~!

LadySilverWolf03: I know I already PM'd with you, but thanks for the review again! :D

Just 2 Dream of You: You have no idea how touched I am! I know you reviewed my stories by PMing me, but then you go out of your way to post a review anyways x'I Thank you!

Strawberry Poop: BAHAHAHA! First of all, I've got to say that I ADORE your name! XD THANK YOU! *BEAR HUG* I'm so glad that you love it so much :'D

no name 128: Thank you! I know- that Ryuu! What could he be thinking -_- But I'm excited to reveal Asami's story too! It'll come out slowly, but surely!

Guest: Oh ho ho~ So you like Ryuu? ;D He is a bit of a charmer, isn't he? :3 And can you see the future or something? o.O You were pretty much spot on, but not quite ;D

nonameprincess: Thanks a bunches! Haha, I will :))

Tay: AHH! Pressureeeee! DX I feel like my action/battle scenes are so terrible T-T But I'll try my best! Thank you for the review! :D


Chapter 11 Colds, Apologies, and Explosions- Oh my!

I could tell from the timid looks Kuri would shoot around every so often and the tense way she was holding her body while climbing down the mountain that if Asami caught her, she would be in trouble. She was already considerably down as it was- and I could tell that she knew that she was doing something wrong. But as this was only another dream, I could only nervously follow her.

It confused me slightly: why would she go to such lengths to get away from her mother? Kuri seemed to love Asami very much, so why the secretive escape?

I grunted and hissed as I'd slip on dirt or trip on rocks, accumulating all sorts of cuts and bruises. However, as much as I was struggling, Kuri nimbly scurried down and I even almost lost her. I realized that she must have taken this path many times before. This wasn't the first time Kuri had come down.

My legs were trembling after a little while longer and I gasped out loud when Kuri suddenly slipped on a loose stone and slid several feet down, but other than some grumbling and a scraped knee she seemed to be alright. I took the moment to peer over the ledge and my head spun when I realized that we must've been no more than half-way down. It was a long way down from here...

Knowing that I couldn't go any further without at least a little break, I plopped down where I was. Thankfully, Kuri did the same. She must have been more tired than I'd realized, but a small breather was not meant to be.

A series of rattling coughs and harsh sputters were heard a bit away followed by a fit of wheezing. If Kuri hadn't just shot up and taken off, I might've just stood there in fear, but without a thought, I followed her.

Kuri swerved through scattered trees so fast I was scared she might trip and break her neck, but the next thing I knew, we were standing on the edge of a clearing. I followed her behind a bush that she immediately ducked under although there really wasn't any point in me hiding since no one could see me anyways.

Copying her, I peeked over the top of the brush. Towards the other side of the small clearing, an elderly man lay on one knee, pressing an arm over his mouth which he continually coughed in to. He was hunched over and even from here I could see his shoulders quivering. Taking a deep breath, I stood back up and crept closer, leaving Kuri behind in her hiding place.

A few gray strands fluttered on top of his head and I could see his wrinkled hands squeeze, clenching and unclenching. Along with many sun spots, there was a thick scar that crossed from the top of his nose across a droopy eye which was rimmed red. He wore the same type of clothes as the man from my first dream, old fabrics tied together poorly.

He hadn't stopped coughing either. He continued to hack up a storm and then, for a moment, drew his arm away. It was covered in blood. I turned paper white.

This man was dying.

No matter who it was, seeing something like this and not being able to do anything was just... I didn't know what to do. Suddenly, I heard soft pat of grass and looked over my shoulder. Kuri was timidly stepping towards us, fear and worry evident in her eyes. She eventually reached my side, but looked severely frightened by the sight of the crippled man. Regardless though, she raised a shaky finger to tap his shoulder softly.

"Hello?" Kuri whispered.

After a good cough that left a small trail of blood on the edge of his lips, the man yelped with alarm against the small touch of her hand and at first his eyes were wild with fear but after seeing her small form instantly retreat a few steps, his eyes softened and settled into the wrinkles of his face.

"Pray child, what are you doing so far up the mountain? Are you lost like me?" He moved his hand in a beckoning gesture, but Kuri stood her ground, taking another step back. Unconsciously, I attempted to place my hands protectively on her shoulders and couldn't help but be momentarily startled when they passed right through.

The man looked a bit hurt, but the expression was immediately replaced by a wave of pain and he was swept up in another period of stronger coughs. His knee buckled and his body crumpled to the ground. Startled and acting on the moment, Kuri rushed forward, hovering over him and waving her arms in a useless flapping.

"Old man? Ah! No! Are you ok? Please get up!" Kuri hung over the man like the disease that was plaguing him, but was too frightened to touch him. But albeit her panic, the poor man was only dying faster. I could barely watch.

Tears dotted Kuri's eyes and she bit her lip. I thought she was about to turn tail and run, and as awful as it was, what else could someone have expected her to do? However, she completely surprised me when she did no such thing. She managed to quickly compose herself as best she could and eased herself to the ground, settling right next to the man.

"Please, I can help you, but I need you to turn over." The man wheezed and I watched anxiously as Kuri -surprisingly- rolled him over easily. That was dangerous, especially since he was still coughing up blood. If she didn't do what she was going to do fast, he could end up choking and I shuddered at thought. I landed next to her, waiting in alarm.

Kuri's small fingers reached across his chest and gently settled over his heart. There were amazingly steady compared to before although her shoulders were still quaking slightly, but her eyes burned with a fierce resolution. She was going to help this man, and she was going to try all she could to do it. She closed her eyes and her face slackened in a calm, smooth slate.

At first nothing happened, and not knowing what to expect, I kept shooting glances between the two, but I gasped when I noticed her hands beginning to glow, barely but surely. A marvelous light was seeping from her fingers, engulfing her hands, and climbing up her arms. Soon enough, the entity of light was glowing around her and her hair was flowing around her from the sheer power of the light. I felt warmed and enraptured by the fiery glow that was now surrounding both Kuri and the dying man and found myself becoming overwhelmed with feelings of contentment, warmth, and wholeness.

But it all ended too soon and I became alone and cold.

The man had gone absolutely still, all the blood drained from his face and from what I could tell, he wasn't breathing. Fat tears threatened to spill from my eyes, thinking that Kuri had just killed an innocent man, but then after a heavy moment the man's eyes flew open and he sat up just as fast, startling Kuri backwards.

He became unruly, pressing his hands all over his chest, his face, every inch of his skin. Kuri was clearly afraid again, due to his strange behavior. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't either.

"Are you alright? You should be feeling better now," Kuri timidly asked, approaching him cautiously, but he spun around on her, and there was no speck of gratitude or amazement to be found on his face. There was only utter terror.

He began to scoot back roughly, his arm buckling under him so that he was dragging in the grass and lifted a severely shaking finger directly at Kuri who was trembling too much to stand, a mess of fear, confusion, and hurt in her eyes, her hands covering her mouth.

"Y-you aren't human! A Devil's child! Devil's child! Help, a demon! A demon has cursed me! Gah!" he began to wail in fear as Kuri crawled forward, her hand stretched out, tears streaming from her eyes.

"No," her voice shook quietly, but then it became more insistent and hurt, "No! Old man, no! I didn't hurt you, I was only trying to help-"

"Help! Devil's child-" and then he suddenly choked a final breath as he looked down in shock to find a long jab of metal was protruding from his stomach. A sword. He began to choke on blood that was coming up in heaves and he fell over like a limp doll, all the while staring at Kuri. A single tear rolled down his withered face and his eyes saw no more.

Trying hard not to vomit, I looked up and saw Asami, standing in all her terrible glory behind the dead man. Her face was hidden in shadow and a tiny wind was flicking her clothes and hair around eerily. In a smooth motion, she bent down to grasp her weapon and in a flash, yanked it up and out without mercy, spraying blood everywhere. Bile filled my mouth and I threw up.

Kuri was frozen on her knees and looked up at her mother through dirt, tears, and blood. Asami took a dangerous step forward, stepping on the corpse with a terribly crunch before reaching her. Scarlet dripped from both her sword and kimono, making the raging look in her eye all the more fearsome.

"Mama, I-"

"Defiant child." Asami whispered and lifted her sword above her head. Time slowed down. Running on nothing but sheer adrenaline, I tripped and pushed myself around Kuri as the sword came down, wrapping her tightly in my arms and waiting for the end.

~.~.~.~.~.

Hiei's eyes snapped open, and beads of sweat sprouted on his forehead. His head felt like it was on fire and his body was wracked with a sharp wave of pain. Panting heavily, Hiei's hands flew over his chest, clutching the source of the pain and yanking his shirt up. No scar or cut marred his chest though. Alarmed, Hiei forced himself to calm down and ignore the pain.

Through his pounding head, something was thrumming with energy- the bond! As soon as he realized it, the pain overtaking his body lessened immensely. None of the pain he'd felt had actually been his; the barriers to his mind must have been down while he was unconscious so when the feelings came through, he'd felt it as if he were Ren herself... Ren! He instantly darted from his spot in the tree and flung the sliding window to her room wide open, hopping inside.

Ren was thrashing around in her bed, shivering and whimpering pitifully. Full-fledged tears were streaming down her face and she was breathing harshly. Hiei kneeled beside her quickly and his eyes widened slightly when he noticed that hers were not- she was still asleep.

A nightmare? Hiei thought, and grasped her shoulders to try and stop her from moving although her body continued to rock with subtle shivers.

"Ren," Hiei called out firmly, "Wake up. You're dreaming."

"No... Kuri!" Ren yelled and shot up so suddenly that Hiei was almost knocked down. Hiei gazed at her intensely and froze when he found himself staring into a pair of shocking blue eyes. But then she blinked and they reverted back to chocolate brown making Hiei question what he thought he'd just saw a moment before. What-?

Ren's frame shook as she continued to pant, her eyes swimming, "H-Hiei..." her voice hitched and she looked down at her hands, "But the pain was so real." she trailed off.

Hiei studied her cautiously, mostly lingering on her eyes, "But it wasn't. You were just having a nightmare."

Ren let his words sink in before nodding slowly, "Right... a nightmare. Oh," she moaned quietly, her head sinking back down onto her pillow. Although fully awake now, her eyes became half-lidded and her breathing sounded more ragged then it should have. Hiei watched as she succumbed to another sweep of shivers and she coughed lightly.

Hiei scrunched his brows, "Are you ill?"

Ren's loose bed-head, slid around her shoulders as she tried to sit up again, "No, I don't think so. I'm ok-" an unexpected coughing attack overcame her and she shuddered. Hiei was tempted to roll his eyes- human bodies were so frail.

"Tch, obviously not. Even your face is starting to get red." it was true- as he spoke, Ren's cheeks were becoming blotchy, making her look more sickly and weak by the moment. She coughed briefly before pulling the covers tighter around herself.

"This isn't good- now I've got no job and a cold to boot... But I guess this isn't completely out of the blue, " she tried to joke weakly, "It must've been because we fell into the fountain yesterday." she laughed lightly which ended in more coughs, "Figures you seem to be fine though... ugh. Hiei," she muttered.

Hiei stood beside her bed, waiting for her to speak.

"Hiei, can you do me a favor and go get the cold medicine from the bathroom please? And a cold towel would be nice too..." her mumbling trailed off, and she closed her eyes.

Hiei would have snapped at her for assuming that he'd do what she asked, but she already seemed to have tuned everything out to fight her sickness. With a "hn," Hiei left the room to fetch what she'd asked.

It was easy enough to find a towel and a shallow bucket to fill with icy water, but when Hiei swung open the cabinet, he was baffled by the huge assortment of different bottles which appeared to be lined in no particular order. Now the only question was which one to choose, and this being the first time Hiei would be handling human medicine, he had no clue. Grumbling and not having the patience to carefully pick which bottle was the 'cold medicine' -after all, she hadn't necessarily been specific- , he snatched a couple of possible helpful-looking ones: a small white container, Advil, a pink liquid-filled one, Pepto-Bismol, and another liquid-filled, this time red, Tylenol.** He could only hope, he thought with a grimace, that one of them would be what she was looking for, mostly to spare him the trouble of looking again.

He made his way back towards her room, this time with the tub full of water tucked under one arm and the bottles and towel in his hands. She hadn't appeared to move and continued to breathe heavily, but opened one eye when he set everything beside her. She surveyed his findings with an arched brow, a small smirk finding its way on her face.

Hiei growled lowly, sensing the spark of amusement from her mind, "You weren't specific, so I just brought a couple in case."

She shook her head lightly with a small smile, trying to hold down a laugh, "No, it's alright, thank you for getting them." She laid back down, shivering.

"Hn. Aren't you going to take them?"

She grimaced, "I will in a bit. Now, would you mind getting the towel wet and folding it?" she closed her eyes once more, leaving Hiei unable to protest again. He submerged the small cloth into the bucket and folded it into a small rectangle; at least this much he knew. He moved to brusquely place it on her forehead, but only when he came closer to her face could he feel how warm she was. She was burning up with fever.

"You have a fever." he remarked quietly, but she didn't answer. He was surprised to find that she'd already fallen asleep again.

"Hn- typical."

~.~.~.~.~.

I was awoken rather rudely by the sound of loud voices which weren't doing anything to help my headache. I could barely focus, but when my blurred vision finally cleared and I could feel the cool skin of a hand pressed on my forehead, I perked up slightly in my haze.

"Ah you're finally awake. Your fever seems to have gone down, but I'm afraid you'll have to rest for a while longer." Kurama withdrew his hand and smiled kindly at me.

"Kurama?" I mumbled, barely registering what was happening.

"Sleeping beauty finally woke up! How are you feeling dear?" Botan's face was suddenly leaning over me with a smile. I summoned a small grin back.

"I've been better." I replied.

"So we've heard," Botan commented.

"But anyways, welcome back. How long have you been here?"

"We arrived several hours ago." Kurama chuckled, "Yusuke and Kuwabara would have accompanied us, but Yusuke was under orders to go visit Keiko the moment we returned. Likewise for Kuwabara for his sister."

"Kurama, don't you think that you should give her some space?" I hadn't even noticed Hiei across from me until he'd spoken.

Kurama hid a knowing smile as he backed away, his eyes glittering with humor, "Right, I'm sorry Ren. We didn't mean to wake you either."

"No, it's fine. I'm glad I could see you guys." I reassured them.

Botan pulled up a chair next to me, "Yes, we're glad we caught you too. It's felt like we've been gone a lot longer than only a few days."

"Oh yeah, how did seeing Ga..." I smiled sheepishly.

"Genkai," Kurama supplied.

"Right, how did seeing Genkai go?" I asked eagerly, and judging by the exchange of glances between Kurama and Botan, something must have been up.

"While you've slept, Hiei has shared a bit of everything that's happened while we were gone, not that we mean to pry but to only check. He told us about Mina's condition, your uncle, and how you lost your job yesterday." I felt my cheeks warm, and I was pretty sure it wasn't because of my fever; at least it seemed that Hiei didn't go into much detail.

"He also told us about how you accidentally fell into the fountain last night," Botan added, "Which explains how you got sick. You're so clumsy," she giggled. I shot Hiei an amused glance- I don't think it would hurt to assume that he hadn't mentioned anything about him falling in either. Or anything pertaining to him really.

"There is one more thing that I haven't mentioned yet," Kurama said. We all looked at him expectantly.

"Genkai desires to meet with you Ren, preferably sooner rather than later. She did not supply me with specifics or a firm reason why, but what I was able to grasp was that she thought it dangerous that Hiei was so defenseless and unable to protect an innocent girl and she deemed it important that she could see to at least the smallest amount of training."

"Training?" I repeated uncertainly. I'd never been good with any kind of sporting or training; my clumsiness made sure of that.

"I'm not defenseless, only weakened, but I will admit that it'd be particularly unwise to reject the hag's offer. However, I knew this already. The only thing still keeping us here is you," Hiei shot a glare in my direction.

I sighed, becoming a little lightheaded, "I thought we were over this! And like I'd predicted, Mako even came home for several days. If I had been gone, there's no telling what kind of panic he would have gone into. I didn't want to take the risk."

"Hn."

"We really do understand your hesitation Ren," Botan said, "But it really would be a good idea to at least go and meet her. Genkai is infamous for her psychic insight and abilities- I think she could help you two. Plus, she's absolutely charming once you get to know her- as long as you stay on her good side, of course." she chirped.

Kurama chuckled and Hiei grinned, "I don't think charming is exactly the word..."

Botan put her hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue. I couldn't help but admit that I was slightly curious as to who this Genkai woman was; she definitely had many mixed reviews, most of them radically different.

"Do you think..." I started slowly, re-capturing the attention of the three," Do you think that Genkai could help... with dreams?"

My question was left hanging in the air. Hiei was looking at me with a serious, knowing look, but I averted his gaze. Kurama and Botan seemed concerned.

"Dreams?" Botan asked, "What kind of dreams?"

I bit my lip, not sure I was fully comfortable in sharing my most recent dreams- more nightmares. I was feeling especially pressured with Hiei's full attention, trained eyes and ears and all. He'd asked me about my dreams once before and then when I woke up from this morning- I could feel how curious he was through the bond.

"Well, I-"

A brief knocking from the other room ruined the intensity of the previous moment and I inwardly sighed with relief. I could worry about this later.

Botan stood up, "I'll get it for you Ren."

I tried to extend my hearing as far as possible to try and hear whoever was knocking at my door, but Botan's squeal was hard to miss.

"Ooh, I remember you! Ren's not feeling well and she's been confined to bed for the day, but please come in. Make yourself at home!"

I twitched; it was almost funny on how easily Botan welcomed whoever it was. Almost.

A few mumbles from the guest were exchanged, but the voice was pretty low so I couldn't tell, but the atmosphere of the room changed drastically. Kurama's warm eyes turned cautious and unreadable which confused me and the moment Botan arrived at the open doorway with said guest, I didn't know who was going to have to be held back more. Because regardless of how Hiei felt, Ryuu's small smile was making me see red in no time.

"Looks like we've got a full house," Ryuu tried kidding lightly, but only Botan nodded with a laugh. Kurama feigned a poor smile, Hiei's eyes were the only windows displaying his rage because his face had become a blank slate, and I was shooting an all out look of evil at him.

Frankly, I was shocked Ryuu wasn't already K.O.'d on the ground because the waves of hatred Hiei had accumulated for him were washing over me at full force, but Hiei was standing absolutely still although his form was practically trembling with restraint.

Botan was left to shoot around a confused and nervous look when she finally noticed the strained tension in the air, "Um... did I miss something?"

My head pounded and I felt even more dizzy. I had to take a deep breath and clench the sheets to keep my anger in check.

"I'm sorry guys, but could you go? I need to talk to Ryuu." I was able to mutter quietly.

Although confused, without a word, Kurama stood up and pulled a hopelessly lost Botan out behind him. I didn't miss the cold glance he shot towards Ryuu. But Hiei didn't move a muscle, his gaze boring holes through him.

"Please Hiei... I need to talk to him alone." I said to Hiei who turned to look back at me. I could feel the desperate anger behind his calm exterior, but I didn't want him around while we talked; I knew that Hiei wasn't going to go easily though.

"Please," I repeated, almost whispering.

He didn't make the move to leave again. A few moments passed by.

"Hn." and then he left, walking straight forward and refusing to acknowledge anything else. He even closed the door softly behind him.

Ryuu didn't waste any time and approached my bedside, pulling out a white bouquet from behind his back and presenting them to me. He flashed me his crooked grin.

"The lady called them asphodels. They symbolize apology, although I would've gotten you some 'get well soon' flowers instead if I had known that you'd need them. I hope you have a vase for them."

I didn't even look at the flowers, "First you pick a fight at the hospital," I paused, letting the words sink in nice and slow, "Then you pick a fight that gets me fired." I lifted my head to look him straight in the eye, "And you dare come here and try to apologize?"

Ryuu's smiled had disappeared but his face was completely composed, "Yes."

I could barely keep my voice down, "You had no right whatsoever to come to my house, Kami, and even think that I could forgive you!"

Ryuu had sat down on the chair Botan had previously occupied and I wanted to do nothing more than knock him out of it, but I could barely think without feeling terrible as it was. I hadn't even thought about what I'd do or say to him the next time I saw him, but I'd figured I'd attack him or have some long confrontation to put him in his place, but nothing of the sort was coming to me now and the next time I spoke, my voice cracked.

"Why Ryuu? How could you? That was my job. What am I going to do now? How am I going to pay for anything until I get a new one?" It was beginning to sink in; I was fully aware that I'd told Hiei that it was alright and I was fine and not mad, but the full reality of the situation was finally setting in. If I wasn't working, I wouldn't get money; If I didn't get money, I couldn't pay rent.

Angry tears were beginning to cloud my vision, "Ever since I've been able to work, Mako has relied on me to pay rent and take care of myself, and there's no telling when he'll be back..."

Ryuu remained silent for as long as I spoke which wasn't actually long at all, but didn't speak until I was done.

"Ren," he began softly, "I didn't come here to ask for you forgiveness."

I blinked back hot tears, "What?"

He looked at me seriously and rested a hand on my leg. Infuriated, I reared my hand to smack him, but when I swung, he easily trapped my hand in his and grabbed my other one. I tried to yank them away, but his fists wouldn't give. He pulled me so that I couldn't look anywhere but at his face.

"I know that I can't ask for your forgiveness because I know I don't deserve it," he paused, letting me drink in his words, "So I'm doing the only thing I know I can do and saying sorry." He sounded incredibly sincere. I couldn't say anything except continue to stare into his green eyes.

"I didn't come here to make you more upset, " he continued, "Just to check on you. After you didn't come to school today, I was wor- wondering what was wrong." he paused for a moment to change the word he was about to finish, "But otherwise, I'm sorry."

He released my hands and I let them fall into my lap. After all that Ryuu had done, was I seriously going to let it go just because he was saying sorry to me right now? I thought I was tougher than that! But I couldn't help it. I was tired of being angry and as stubborn as I wanted to be, I just couldn't.

Somehow this terrible guy had become my friend. Maybe not exactly the ideal friend, but still one regardless. And who was to say that he couldn't change for the better after this?

I sighed heavily , torn between wanting to be angry and wanting to let it go, "Whatever. it doesn't matter. No matter how much I yell or how many times someone says sorry, what's done is done. So thanks Ryuu... for the apology and coming to check on me."

I glanced at Ryuu from beneath my hair and was amazed to find a warm smile gracing his face, his cocky grin nowhere to be seen.

"It was no problem."

~.~.~.~.~.

Tatsuya couldn't stop the flow of relief that he felt as Ren's pale face lifted in a tiny smile. Before, he was so sure that she would have never forgiven him, but now she was- well, not forgiving him exactly- putting what had happened behind her. This visit couldn't have been going better. It didn't matter how much Hiei hated him or Kurama suspected him. His mission concerned her, now more than ever. The only thing that struck him as odd though was the personal relief he was feeling. She was supposed to be a job, not something to become attached to; however, he couldn't deny that he'd been having more fun toying with her the past month or so than he should have been. He was able to smile easily while around her and he simply loved making her mad enough for her to blush. He felt a smile coming to his face just thinking about it.

She arched a brow at him and gazed at him with suspicion, "What's that look for?"

"Oh nothing," he snorted, "I was just thinking about how angry Hiei looked when he saw me."

She glared at him and turned her head, "It's not funny- he has every right to be. Say Ryuu,"

Tatsuya cocked his head to the side curiously. The name had so quickly become a part of him, it was strange to think that it was still an alias.

"What?"

"Was apologizing really all you came for?" Ren asked. Tatsuya smirked; no matter what, she always seemed to be suspicious of something. And if she was suspecting that his answer was no, then she would be right.

"Of course not. I wanted to see how you were doing like I already said." Tatsuya wasn't lying, but there was more to it than just wanting to see her. His smile flat-lined as he recalled the day before when Asami had summoned them.

Asami had looked down at them all with another hint of disgust before continuing, "You all have failed to find any sign of where my daughter could be, so I had to take matters into my own hands. Of this entire, miserable city, there is only one that Koenma seems to be trying to keep sheltered from me, regardless of how she's right under our noses. Tatsuya, you must find out once and for all." Asami's ice-cold eyes chilled Tatsuya to the core, "Find out whether Ren Hashi's blood is of my own lineage by whatever means necessary. This time, failure is not acceptable."

Tatsuya frowned. Asami had re-enforced her previous mission, but was now expecting a result that couldn't possibly be there. Tatsuya was positive that Ren couldn't have been more than just a victim of circumstances. She was under Koenma's protection because of the fire demon.

Ren laid back down, "Not good... I've forgotten how long it's been since I've had a cold. It's been a long time."

Tatsuya crossed his arms, "How did you even get it? You seemed fine after yesterday's... spat."

Ren shot him a quick dirty look, "I got wet and I must've gotten a cold from it or something. I don't know." she snapped, "But I'm completely exhausted, like I haven't slept in days. I've been having these really vivid nightmares."

Tatsuya arched a brow, "Nightmares?" Now that she mentioned it, he noticed the light purple bruises appearing underneath her eyes. They were barely noticeable, but still there.

She nodded, blinking slowly like an owl, "Yeah."

"Have you talked to anyone about them?" Tatsuya leaned over, interested.

She glanced at him skeptically, "No... I haven't."

"Not even to Hiei?" Tatsuya pried. What could be bothering her so much that she wouldn't even tell the fire runt?

She stared at the ceiling, looking troubled, and murmured quietly to herself, "No... but I think, maybe, it'd be best to at least tell one person so I can get it off my chest." She closed her eyes, "Promise you won't tell anyone though?"

Tatsuya shrugged, "Yeah, they're just dreams."

"Just dreams..." she repeated hoarsely and frowned, "Ok... I started having them around the time when I met you actually."

What? Tatsuya remained silent.

"They seem to take place a long time ago- or at least that's my guess- and they're like no other dream I've ever had; it's amazing how clear they all are in my mind even after all this time. I've only had a couple of different ones, but in each dream there's at least one or two specific girls that they focus on. In my first dream, I was in a field and there was a mother and her daughter. I didn't think anything of it until an old man came into view. Suddenly everything changed, the mother," Ren swallowed hard, "had some kind of grudge against humans-"

"Humans?" Tatsuya repeated, his throat having gone chalk dry.

"Yes- it turned out that the two girls were demons, and then it all becomes a jumble, but I remember there being so much blood- she murdered the man even when her daughter tried to stop her," Ren shivered.

"Did they look anything like someone you'd ever seen before?"

Ren shook her head, "No- that's what's so weird about it. It's like what I'm dreaming is someone else's past."

She suddenly tried to grin at him, "Listen to me, talking about demons and dreaming the past," she forced a laugh, "It's probably my sick brain talking crazy! You can just go ahead and forget all of that!"

But Tatsuya wasn't listening anymore- he couldn't hear over the rapid beating of his heart. It- it can't be...

"Ren," he whispered, looking down, "Did you happen to catch any... names?"

Ren hesitated, torn on what to say and nervous about how he'd started acting strangely, "Yes, I did. Ryuu, is everything ok-"

"What were they?" Tatsuya cut her off. His hands were clenched so tight, no blood could run through them.

"But Ryuu, they're just dreams like you said, none of it matters-"

"What were they?" he stated again, desperately trying to keep his voice in check.

Ren bit her lip, but in the end she finally sighed, "The one I dream most of's name is Kuri, and her mother's name is Asami."

~.~.~.~.~.

"Ryuu, are you sure you're alright? You just got so pale all of the sudden." I said worriedly. Right after I had begun to describe my dream, Ryuu had gone absolutely rigid and the blood had started to drain from his face. I wouldn't have told him any of it if I had guessed that anything like this would have happened. Was he just afraid of my dreams? The guess itself was ridiculous, but it was the only one I could think of.

"I think I should go now." he muttered and stood up with a wobble. He looked about on the verge of collapse.

I nodded slowly, "Yeah, maybe that's a good idea. I'm sorry- you must have gotten sick from me."

He shook his head, but didn't say anything. Without even so much as a goodbye, he stumbled out the door. I could hear Botan's surprised gasp as he left.

I was baffled. What had just happened? I knew it- I shouldn't have mentioned anything about the dumb nightmares. What else could it have been? The only reason I'd said anything was that it was true that I wanted to get it off my chest and Ryuu had nothing to do with any of the situation at hand, so I thought I'd just be helping myself, but in doing so, I upset Ryuu too.

Uh... that went well, I thought sourly.

Botan, Kurama, and Hiei trickled back in soon after Ryuu had left. Except Botan more like charged in .

"Ren will you explain to me what just happened? Neither of the boys would tell me, and thanks to them, I just looked like a complete idiot!" She earnestly slid beside me, "I thought you and that boy were, you know." Botan bounced her two pointer fingers together with a mischievous smirk. The blood rushed to my head.

"What?" I stuttered, "Where do you get all of these ideas Botan? He just came over to apologize."

"But what did he do to have to apologize in the first place?" Botan asked insistently.

"It's all behind us now. It doesn't matter anymore." I pursed my lips. Unfortunately, Botan wasn't the only one who didn't take that well.

"It doesn't matter anymore?" Hiei barked, "Don't tell me you forgave him! Did you already forget what happened?"

"Hey, look who's talking!" I snapped back, "It wasn't only Ryuu's fault- who was it that fought back?"

Hiei glared sharply, "Are you blind Ren? That human is obviously bad news! Do you think it was just coincidence that he was there last night?"

"Whether it was coincidence or not, it doesn't change what happened!"

Botan turned to Kurama with a grimace, "I don't think we even exist anymore; these two are hopeless! I give up on trying to find out what happened."

"Agreed." Kurama said then turned towards us and cleared his throat, "Well, I think we'll be taking our leave now. With all the ruckus we've caused, it can't be good for your health Ren. Your fever seems to have returned."

The room was already spinning and I plopped back down with an exhausted sigh, but stubbornly glared at Hiei, "Ok... thanks for the visit."

Kurama smiled although still tense, "Of course, get well soon."

Botan wagged a finger, "Yes, we can't have you being ill for a while. We'll visit soon though, bye." She walked out of the room, Kurama following behind her.

Before he left though, he looked over his shoulder, "Hiei, mind coming here for a moment? Besides, Ren should get some rest."

Hiei perked slightly in surprise, but silently trailed after him with a 'hn' nonetheless, closing the door behind him and leaving me in the peace of my room. I was so tired and although I fought to keep my eyes open, I finally let them flutter close, figuring I could at least rest them for a little bit.

The next time they opened though, I was startled by the shadows in my room and the fact that the light was much dimmer than before. I'd only meant to close my eyes for a moment, not fall asleep for another couple of hours.

The small creak of the door was what had woke me up though and I watched as Hiei entered the room quietly. In his hands rested a steaming mug and a bowl of something that was making my mouth water. My stomach growled loudly reminding me that I hadn't eaten all day.

Hiei set his items down on the table, "It's about time you woke up."

I stared at the dishes, "What's this?"

He crossed his arms, "Hn. Kurama made the soup for you and told me to give it to you if you could stomach it."

I sat up and gingerly took the bowl and sipped lightly. My eyes widened- it was delicious!

"Wow! This is delicious! If only I was sick all the time... what is it?"

Hiei shrugged, "He didn't say."

I managed to quickly finish the soup, but there had only been a small amount in the first place and I was sad when I had to set the bowl down, but was surprised to find Hiei sticking the other mug he'd brought towards me.

"Did Kurama make this too?" I asked, taking the cup and looking into the brown, murky liquid with suspicion.

Hiei smirked, "No, he didn't. This is something of my own creation."

"You made this?" I asked in amazement. I sniffed the concoction and almost choked. I thrust it far away from me.

"It smells putrid!"

Hiei chuckled, his red eyes gleaming, "You should quit complaining and just drink it. It's guaranteed to cure even the most persistently ill demons."

"Demons?" I quoted incredulously, feeling nauseous "This is demon medicine?"

"Yes."

"... is this a nightmare? Are you trying to poison me?" I shot a sly glance in his direction. He scowled deeply and glared at me.

"Just drink the damn stuff! I did not waste my or Kurama's time in making that."

"Alright, alright! I'll do it," I cried back. I stared into the disgusting looking mug once more before holding my breath and drinking it all in four large swallows.

I blinked in surprise, drawing the mug away from my lips. It hadn't been as bad as I'd imagined it to be.

"I'm feeling better already!" I confessed, bewildered, "Hiei, where did you learn to make this?"

Hiei smirked at my reaction, "Some bandit demons that I used to travel with in my youth often made it when one of us would fall ill. It's been a while, so I'm not sure if the recipe was exactly the same, but the effect seems to have worked as it should."

"Bandit demons, huh. I didn't know you used to travel with bandits."

"Not many do."

"So... were you a bandit too?"

Hiei barked a laugh, "I've committed crimes that your small mind wouldn't be able to handle. Calling myself a mere bandit would be a serious understatement."

"You're a criminal?" I asked in disbelief.

Hiei snorted, "Hn. It doesn't matter anymore. Like you, I can put things behind me." he flashed me a mocking grin.

"That's not fair," I whined.

"Hn, life's not fair." he parried.

I sighed, setting the mug down, "Fine then, but anyways, what was even that stuff?"

"The ingredients used to make it aren't exactly easy to get your hands on in the human world, so I had to improvise. Although the bandits typically used the liver of native animals, we had to settle for-"

"Stop. Right. There. " I muttered. "On second thought, I don't want to know anymore." At the word liver, I already wanted to throw it back up.

"Hn, whatever. I don't care." Hiei stood up, "Kurama instructed me to tell you to go back to sleep once you'd eaten. You'll regain your strength faster."

Even though I had already slept most of the day, my full belly was already making me sleepy again, so I nodded and closed my eyes again.

~.~.~.~.~.

I stretched, feeling more refreshed and better than I had in a while. After taking Hiei's 'special' medicine and having a dreamless sleep, I was feeling fantastic! It was hard to believe that I had been so bed ridden just the day before.

Hiei and I were on our way to school like we had done many times before, but this time we were exchanging bits of idle chatter. Idle chatter meaning a mixture of sarcastic remarks and witty insults, but nonetheless chatter.

I laughed and reached up to pull on my ribbon by habit, but my fingers only tugged on hair, reminding me that I had actually left it at home today. I hadn't realized just how close I always kept the ribbon with me until now, my long hair enjoying its freedom by swishing in the wind. I didn't really know how to explain it. Maybe Hiei had been right about me not being myself because I was always trying to connect with my deceased mother. But I honestly hadn't felt like I wasn't more of myself than ever since I'd met him- he easily coaxed the best and worst out of me as if he meant to.

"You should wear your hair down more often- it looks nice."

Hiei's words echoed in my head and my cheeks warmed just thinking about it. I hadn't imagined the whole thing either. This morning when I met him outside, he seemed to acknowledge it by arching a brow at my hair even though he hadn't exactly said anything outright.

My good morning was soon to be dampened though because when we'd taken our seats in the classroom and the bell had rung, the seat next to me remained empty. Ryuu's pale face flashed in front of me and I couldn't help but be worried. He couldn't have been absent of yesterday... right?

And as the morning passed by, the worried feelings already churning inside me only grew. I grew increasingly anxious. I couldn't shake it off either- I tried chiding myself that there was no reason to be feeling this way, but my nerves only continued to be on end.

At lunch when Hiei and I found ourselves on the roof like normal, I didn't even have to voice my thoughts.

"Something's happening- I can feel it in the air." Hiei's entire body was stiff.

"So I'm not imagining it," I wrung my hands nervously, "But what is it? I haven't seen any ES in days! And nobody's attacked us since the dream and nightmare demons."

"I know."

"What should we do? I don't know how we can get in touch with anyone."

Hiei growled, staring into the distance, "All we can do is hope that they get here soon." And that was that. We really couldn't do anything- we were completely powerless against anything. Yusuke and Kuwabara arriving to our rescue at the nick of time had been a fluke. The chance of another chance rescue was slim to none. A light hum began to echo in the air.

After a meal that I barely tasted, we returned to the room. As I glanced out the window, even the sky was beginning to darken. A mass of black clouds were moving in from the horizon and were headed directly towards us. But as restless and antsy as most of the students were getting, none of them seemed to notice the incoming storm at all. The light hum I'd thought I heard earlier seemed to grow.

I gazed out at the darkening sky, feeling my stomach clench in fear, concentrating on the black storm clouds rolling in. Whatever was coming, it was something big for it be so prominent in the air. Hiei stood beside me and also looked at the sky.

"You don't think it's going to thunder do you?" I squeaked at him nervously, my face pale.

As he studied the sky, his eyes began to widen and he took an involuntary step back, his fangs bared, "That's no thunderstorm!"

"What?" The hum was no longer subtle and had transformed into a deep buzzing. And that's when I realized that the black clouds were moving way fast to be any rain cloud. My terrible premonition was beginning to dawn on me: they weren't clouds at all. When they was close enough, we could even see the glints of purple.

An enormous swarm of ES were coming straight for the school- and with another glance around the room, I realized that no one could see them either.

"Hiei, we have to get everyone out!" I screamed at him, alarming several girls nearby who clearly didn't know what I was talking about. I turned around on the class, almost all eyes already on me.

"We have to go now! We're in danger!" I pleadingly yelled at them, but they all only looked me like I was crazy. I flashed Hiei a look of despair- the swarm was almost on the building!

Hiei grit his teeth and growled at them, all of them taking a step back, "You fools! If you don't evacuate now, you'll all die!"

And that's when chaos erupted. The entire structure trembled and people began to scream. The lights even flickered. It felt like an earthquake. The doors were practically torn down in the stampeded to escape the room.

There was no time to freeze in terror. I swooped down to my bag and pulled out the barely used bug spray Botan had given to me so long ago and turned to Hiei who was yelling at me.

"Just in case," I showed him the can and we sprinted out the door and were instantly thrown into a crowded hall of screaming people. I was almost separated from Hiei right off the bat, but I lashed out for his hand and as soon as I felt the familiar warmth, I knew I hadn't lost him.

He yanked me towards the side and out of the heavy stream and I glanced out the window. A large pool of people, pedestrians that had just been passing by, students, and teachers were gathering by the school gates. Hiei and I were on the third floor and with the flooded halls, we didn't have the opportunity of getting out easily.

The glass windows on both sides suddenly shattered and flurries of the insects raced in and dived into the crowd of people. Students began falling left and right as I watched in horror. I pointed the spigot at the crowd and closed my eyes, releasing the spirit flames. The bugs were charred into ash almost instantly, but only more continued streaming in.

Hiei grabbed my hand again, "We have to go!"

I didn't resist as he pulled me in the opposite direction of the crowd, and the strangest thing happened. The bugs that had been latching onto random people released them and started flying in our direction. They're after Hiei and me?

I skidded to a halt and aimed the nozzle and fired. The swarm behind us disappeared, but a second one didn't even pause. I turned to run again, but I'd lost my balance and I came crashing down, the can skidding out of my hand.

"Ren!" Hiei had just noticed me, but the swarm was already right next to me. I squeezed my eyes and screamed.

"Shotgun!" rays of blue light flew through the air and I cracked an eye open, Hiei already rushing over to me.

"Hey guys! How could you start the party without us?" Yusuke grinned cockily, holding his fist. Hiei quickly helped me up as Yusuke, followed by Kurama and Kuwabara, ran up to us.

"Thanks Yusuke." I said graciously.

"No problem, glad we got here when we did or you might've been zapped. " Yusuke joked although I didn't find it too funny.

"Stop showing off Urameshi! This is serious!" Kuwabara yelled, summoning his glowing sword.

Kurama reached behind him and pulled out a rose, "Yes, I must agree. There's no time to lose. Hiei, take Ren and focus on getting out to safety. We'll clear a path for you as best we can."

I expected Hiei to try and resist Kurama like he always did, but Hiei just growled and said, "Right." I stared at him in shock.

"I'll admit that I might not be of much help because my rose whip only cuts which will do nothing to stop the regeneration of their bodies, but it will buy time which is the goal for now." Kurama's rose was covered in a silvery light and extended into the thorny whip I'd caught a glimpse of that night he'd fought Tatsuya.

A loud buzzing appeared at the end of the hall and a large group of the ES charged for us. Hiei yanked me behind him, the other three crouching down and preparing to attack.

"Go now Hiei!" Kurama cried out as the three burst forward in an attack. It all happened so fast, I couldn't follow. I was swung onto Hiei's back and he sprinted straight forward, ignoring everything around us. I ducked my head into his shoulder as I saw some of the bugs aiming for his blind side, but they were seared to oblivion when a flash of orange swept them away. Kuwabara was suddenly grinning triumphantly and running beside us.

"What do you think you're doing Kuwabara?" Hiei yelled.

"While Kurama and Urameshi are busy clearing out the icky bugs, I've been put in charge of keeping them out of the way of you two so you don't have to worry runt!"

"Kuwabara, ahead!" I gasped as we kept charging forward.

Kuwabara snapped to attention and slashed through another mass. We finally reached the stairwell and I squealed as another attack swooped in from above. I knew it wasn't a trick of my eye- their numbers were only growing faster and faster. Although Hiei was already rushing down the stairs, if we didn't get out right now, there'd be too many.

As Hiei rounded the corner to go down the next stairwell, another mass suddenly appeared in front of us and Hiei stumbled backwards and thrust into the window behind him. Glass exploded and we were suddenly hanging in the mid-air. I had no time to react as I felt Hiei's body twist under me and I was suddenly being clutched in a familiar grip and turned up. Hiei cried out loudly as his back slammed into the ground, sliding for a few feet before coming to a stop.

I opened my shut eyes and coughed on the clouds of dirt that'd been thrown into the air with our landing. Hiei was looking at me through a cracked eye, breathing heavily.

"Hiei! Are you alright?" I scooted back and tried helping him up. He gasped harshly and clutched his side, clenching his jaw.

"Human bodies aren't durable at all." he panted, the wind knocked out of him.

"Thank goodness that you're not though," I cried, "There's no way you could have survived that fall if you were- and you even shifted me out of the way. I would've been killed for sure."

I looked up at the hole in the wall where Kuwabara was moving as if he were standing on hot coals, looking panicked, "Are you guys ok?"

"We're ok," I called back up and then gasped, "Kuwabara, behind you!"

Kuwabara whirled around just in time to slash out at the bugs, but after taking a step back and completely stepping over the edge, he began to fall backwards.

"Kuwabara!" I screamed and thrust myself into Hiei, shielding my eyes. But right after the landing, the sound of cursing met my ears and I slowly turned to him in disbelief. Kuwabara was swinging his sword around, obviously mad, as if he had just been tripped and not fallen down two stories.

"H-how is he not dead?" I stuttered. Hiei looked disappointed.

"He's like a cockroach."

Kuwabara jogged over to us, "That was a pretty nasty fall Hiei, are you ok?"

"Hey guys, you ok?" We all looked up to see Yusuke, followed by Kurama, racing towards us.

I clutched a fist to my chest, "Yes, we're fine."

A sudden series of explosions shook the ground and we looked at the school. The ES had ceased to follow us and only continued to swarm around the school, making some of the windows turn black from sheer numbers. Parts of the school were beginning to crumble and a cloud of smoke began to stretch its black arm towards the sky. The shrill sound of fire engines screamed through the air.

"Oh thank goodness you all are safe!" Botan whizzed down on a floating oar and scrambled over towards us, dropping down by my side to check for any injuries, "As soon as Kurama sensed the energy spike, I went straight to Koenma."

"That wasn't really necessary." The gentle, chilling voice made everyone jump, but I remained rooted to the spot, my eyes wide. I know that voice.

Kuwabara looked around wildly, "Uh guys, I wasn't the only one who heard that right?"

"Come on out and show your ugly face!" Yusuke called out. "I have a feeling we have you thank for all of this."

"My, my Yusuke, where are your manners?" the chuckle that followed came from behind us and we all whirled around. I gasped out loud.

The woman was tall and graceful, her outrageously blue eyes glittering. As if I were really in a dream, an image of her accepting a colorful bouquet from Kuri flashed behind my eyes.

Asami.

She was even more domineering in person than she had been in my dreams. Silky black hair ran down her back like water and her porcelain skin looked almost translucent. She was the most beautiful and most frightening woman I'd ever seen.

"Who the hell are you and how do you know me?" Yusuke didn't waste in time in aiming a deadly finger in her direction.

"I'd recognize Raizen's heir anywhere." The look she gave Yusuke was downright murderous for a second, before they turned stony again. Yusuke unconsciously took a step back, shocked.

"You must be Asami," Kurama stated, bearing his rose whip.

Asami stuck out a white arm and curled her fingers, "As perceptive as always Kurama, but I did not personally come here for useless conversation. I have much more pressing issues to attend to." Her eyes slowly fell over everyone's face and then ever so gently landed onto mine. I forgot how to breathe.

Hiei pushed himself up and took a step in front of me, "What the hell are you getting at?"

Asami grimaced at Hiei, "This is none of your business, fire demon. Ah," light realization crossed her face, "You're the one whose energy Minoru was able to take away. Hiei." She tapped her chin lightly, "Maybe I should go ahead and fix his one error though. You weren't supposed to have lived to see the light of the next morning."

Hiei growled menacingly and clenched his hands, but Asami had already moved on, "Come, my dear... Kuri, it's time for you to return to me. My daughter,"

The group exchanged equally confused looks, but it was as if I'd become frozen. Kuri?

"You're obviously out of your mind lady." Yusuke laughed and stretched his shoulders, "So we'll do you a favor and just put you out of your misery."

Asami giggled and I felt a chill run down my back, "You'd like to put me out of my misery? I'd love to see you try."

"You asked for it!"

"Wait, Yusuke-!" Kurama tried to protest, but to no avail.

"Shotgun!" The blue balls of energy shot towards her at full speed, but she didn't move. She didn't do anything.

I watched in stunned silence as the attack made impact, but when the dust cleared, my heart leapt into my throat.

"What!" Yusuke shouted.

A clear bubble surrounded Asami, the balls of energy sticking to it like Velcro. She was untouched. She smirked.

"Oh crap."

Everyone flew in different directions as Yusuke's attack was redirected. Hiei wrapped an arm around me and tried jumping back, but I knew that the fall had hurt him more than he would admit. We weren't going to be able to avoid the blast!

But the instant one of the blue balls came within a few feet of us, it imploded. We landed on the ground, unharmed, the traces of a similar shield shimmering around us.

Asami grimaced, "You're clever to have held onto her like that fire demon. Only Kuri would have been able to deflect that blow. But at least now I know for certain."

My eyes widened. Wait... could she be meaning that she thought I was Kuri?

Asami sighed, "It's a pity. I was looking forward to our reunion, but so be it. I've waited so long already, a little longer won't hurt. We will not remain separated my dear. I promise." There was a flash of light, a swish of her bloody kimono, and Asami vanished into thin air.

I didn't even have a moment to realize what was happening before, my vision wavered and I was falling forward.

"Ren!" I heard Hiei call out my name, but I had already blacked out before I even hit the ground.


**I don't know what types of typical antibiotics that you would find in the average Japanese home, but the three medicines I listed are pretty frequently found in my house, that's for sure xP Poor Hiei, so clueless no matter how hard he tries not to seem...

Ho hum...

Hm..

This chapter looked much, MUCH better in my mind, let me tell you that. Oh well, as long as I keep the plot progessing~ Who said I wouldn't have a few bumps in the road XD

Oh! My friend just mentioned to me how Hiei's little medicine scene was somewhat similar to a scene from Inuyasha! I PROMISE that I did not steal that scene O.O I didn't even realize that I'd copied it - and I thought I was original -_-' I must've just unconsciously referenced it from the back of my mind xP

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGGOMG! (can you spot the typo? LOL) The time for college applications has COME! DUN DUN DUN- T-T I'm going to go cry to sleep now! So this is fair warning, that I MIGHT not be able to update next wednesday because my goal is to get rid of all this school junk I have to do in the next couple of days or so! But no worries, I believe I can do it! Plus, I have the motivation of updating to keep me going!

Shoot me a review for good luck (and extra motivation *hint hint*)? ;3 or just Review because you actually liked it? XDD

Anyways, REVIEW~!

Love InuChimera7410