Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and the plot.

Recap: Previously on "I'll Show You What I Can Be" Tsukino has been kidnapped again and her time is running out as her genes and a bomb in the ceiling compete to be the leading cause of her death. Meanwhile Kurama, Kuronue, and Hiei are on their way to help her not knowing the trap they are walking into.

I'll Show You What I Can Be
Chapter Twenty One
The Trap

Well into Trouble

Five minutes passed and I was still in the cave struggling with my ropes. Eventually it dawned on me that I could use my claws to cut myself lose but no matter how much I tried I couldn't move my claws enough to cut the ropes. Also the fact that the pain that apparently was caused by my genes self-destruction had returned. If I ever needed an example to prove that the world had it in for me that would be it since even my own body seemed determined to do me in. However, just because I was stuck in a stalemate didn't mean that the explosives in the wall over my head were having the same problem. If anything, the wick seemed to be burning faster.

Ten minutes later, I could barely breathe let alone move and was considering using my demon energy to escape. Sure that would probably cause my genes to kill me quicker, but it had to be a better death than having a cave collapse onto your head. However, I had no idea what side effects using my energy could cause since Kurama had never even bothered to tell me why I shouldn't use my energy. I supposed he assumed that the fact that he said not to would suffice. Also, the last time I had used my energy, I had experienced a great amount of pain before passing out and having my soul stolen by Amaterasu. Using that fact, I felt it was safe to assume that one of the side effects was great pain and possibly fainting. If fainting actually was a side effect, it would do me no good to manage to escape my bonds only to pass out before I can exit the cave.

One minute later, I stupidly attempted to move once again and found myself gasping for breath behind the gag. A second later, I heard someone walking towards the cave. Thankfully, I still had brains enough not to struggle in a foolish attempt to gain the demon's attention. If I was in Human World, then maybe I would have tried to get some help but I was in Demon world and in Demon World asking for help is basically the same as saying, "Come here and eat me."

The person continued to walk towards the cave though and soon he was standing right in front of me with a huge grin on his face. "Hiya Tsukino-chan," Kuronue said as he crouched down in front of me. "Did the Sinning Tree make you hate me too?"

I winced at the volume of his voice while my mind was completely confused. What in the three worlds was a Sinning Tree? I wondered. Something that grew off your sins? Completely confused, I shook my head and wondered how he had missed the sounds of the explosives above our heads. Maybe my hearing was even better than a pure bat demon now that my genes were killing me. Of course that was assuming that those raccoon demons didn't do anything else to me other than tying me to a rock and waiting for the cave to collapse on me. Behind the gag I tried to form words warning him about the explosives as well as asking what a Sinning Tree is.

Kuronue also seemed confused as he removed the gag allowing me to speak. "Want to try that again?" he asked, still at his usual volume.

Once again I winced but replied to his question, quickly lowering the volume of my own voice when I found even that too loud. "One, there are explosives in the roof of the cave and two what is a Sinning Tree?"

Kuronue had leaned in to hear me and cocked his head to the side. "Why are you whispering?" he whispered back.

"Because loud sounds make my head hurt," I replied.

He nodded and quickly pulled out a knife before he started to saw through the ropes. While he worked his face was grim as if he was annoyed with someone and planning to get revenge somehow. "The Sinning Tree is a tree that creates illusions while slowly stealing your energy. Looks like you got away okay though." His grin returned suddenly as he answered my first question. "And thanks for the warning about the roof but I already took care of that before I entered. How'd you hear that though? It was at least five metres up from here in the mountain above this cave."

I would have shrugged if I could. "I have no idea. When I woke up here I couldn't hear anything but when I tried to use my energy to escape the volume on life went up." My mind returned to what the raccoons had spoken of while they were guarding me. "Kuronue-ku-san-"

"Kun. I'd prefer to be called Kuronue-kun if you don't mind." He didn't explain why but I didn't feel like asking because for some reason it felt more natural to call him Kuronue-kun rather than Kuronue-san. Chu and the others were like that too though so I didn't really question it.

"Kuronue-kun, what do you know about gene destruction?"

He hummed for a second. "Well I know that it can happen to all demons, even with pure breeds."

"How?"

"Inbreeding tends to mess up the genes and then they just get destroyed that's all but it's different for you mixed breeds isn't it? From what I heard you guys go through stages in which different parts of your demon form change colour and stuff."

"Change colour?" It suddenly occurred to me that I hadn't seen myself in a mirror since the start of the mission, not even while Kurama and I were staying in the inns. Slightly curious now, I moved my tail into a position where I could see it. To my shock, I saw that my tail was no longer its original red colour. Instead it was a navy blue that almost seemed to be turning into an orangey colour making it look very odd as the two colours mixed. If what Kuronue had said was true about demon forms changing colour being a sign of gene destruction then, Kurama surely knew about it. I thought back to the warnings he had given me about using my energy. "Kuronue-kun, what causes mixed breeds' genes to react in such a way?"

He paused for a moment before replying, "I think it was something about how their energy can't mix very well with their bodies and slowly starts to kill off the body. It's supposed to be very painful from what I hear."

Shock turned into confusion. Kurama obviously had known about that and had warned me but had neglected to inform me of the reason why I shouldn't use my energy. No matter how hard I tried to think of a reason for his actions, I couldn't think of one. Then again, I couldn't really think all that well anyways since my brain was operating on low oxygen because of the ropes.

Kuronue continued to silently work on the ropes while a worried and determined aura seemed to surround him. Somehow it seemed familiar to me and I focused on his face trying to remember where I had seen that expression before. He certainly had never made that face while we were in the jail. Eventually I had it. "You're that boy who saved me when I was little and gave me Inumaru!" I blurted out without thinking because as I had said before, my brain was oxygen deprived. "Why didn't you tell me!?"

He stared at me as if I was insane and paused in his cutting of the ropes. "Pardon?" he asked.

Losing confidence and regretting my outburst, I quickly rushed through my explanation, "Back when I was little, I was cornered by a group of pure bloods but you jumped down and killed them and offered me the money but I said no because stealing was wrong and told you to take it because they couldn't use it and then you gave me Inumaru," I paused for a breathe, "right?"

He was silent as he returned to cutting me loose, and I became even more fearful. As I was rambling I realized that just because I dreamed about something about when I was little didn't mean it actually happened. But if it didn't happen, why was it I could picture the scene so clearly and recognize Kuronue as that bat? I wondered.

Finally Kuronue finished cutting me loose and spoke but it wasn't to reply to my question. Almost muttering, he said, "Come on. We have to move. Kurama and the Midget are probably waiting back at the hideout."

Rubbing my wrists and stretching my wings slightly, I replied, "Who's the Midget?"

Kuronue grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the cave before looking out and asking me if I could fly. I replied in the positive so we took off from the mouth of the cave. High above the ground, the volume of painful noise decreased as wind rushed by my ears as I tried to keep up with Kuronue. Even though he was shouting, I was thankful to find that it didn't hurt to listen to him probably because of the wind.

"Midget is apparently Hiei the Master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame."

Hoping that I could shout without pain, I replied, "You mean the one that Yusuke-kun battled along side with in the Dark Tournament?"

Kuronue nodded and slowed down before making a dive towards the ground. Diving at a slowly pace to avoid crashing, I followed him. We weaved between the trees for a while until we touched down and Kuronue started moving brushes around trying to find something. Eventually he found an opening in the ground and climbed into it. Hesitating for only a second, I followed and kept close, as I had no doubts that this was the hideout Kuronue had mentioned, and it would have traps all over.

Eventually we come to a huge cavern with six doors on the opposite wall and two demons waiting for us. I had met Hiei in passing just before I left Human World so I recognized him when he looked up as we entered. Kurama, on the other hand, I almost didn't recognize as his human form was starting to show more clearly through his demon disguise. Sea-green eyes watched Kuronue and I as we entered, and his hair was now more red than black.

"So it looks like the bat isn't completely useless after all," Hiei said causing me to wince slightly.

Kuronue thankfully did not reply loudly and only rolled his eyes, causing Hiei to stare in confusion.

"Tsukino-chan has a headache. That's the only reason I'm not jumping to kick your butt," Kuronue muttered before turning to Kurama who stood silently waiting. "I found her in a cave at least ten miles away from where you said Amaterasu was waiting for us. So have you learned your lesson about using plants as protection?"

"At least around the Kuro Shi," Kurama replied before turning to Hiei. "It would be wise to return the items to Koenma before something else happens. When you leave take Tsukino-san with you."

Even though I knew I would regret it, I shouted, "What?!" Moments later my head was pounding. It appeared that Hiei and Kuronue were of the same mind I was though.

"I don't need the extra baggage Kurama," Hiei said before Kuronue made his opinion known.

He grabbed the front of Kurama's clothing and seemed about ready to punch him. "Hang on Kurama," Kuronue said, forgetting to keep his voice low. "I thought you said that if I went and got her, you wouldn't let her out of your sight!"

"You must have misunderstood me then," Kurama calmly said. "I had said that I would make sure that Tsukino-san would remain safe. I never claimed that I would be the one protecting her. Besides, we can both agree that Spirit World is the safest place for her can't we?"

"Are you an idiot!? Amaterasu already managed to break into Spirit World and Tsukino-chan can't use her demon energy remember?!"

For a moment Kurama was silent. Slowly he looked over to me and stunned Kuronue into silence. "Well, Tsukino-san, which would you prefer? Remaining here with me and completing the mission or returning to Spirit World?"

I think even Hiei was shocked by how Kurama turned the responsibility of my own wellbeing over to me. Thankfully though, my shock had stopped me from replying without taking time to think it over. To be completely honest, I badly wished to return to Spirit World. I had had enough of Kurama's attitude and confusing ways as well as Amaterasu's plots. Unfortunately, returning to Spirit World would mean leaving the mission in Kurama's hands, which was not a bad thing, but it meant that I hadn't earned my right to remain in Human World. Also, my cat demon blood was demanding that I find Amaterasu and demand to know why she had been trying to manipulate me into seducing Kurama. Kurama obviously hadn't broken her heart in the way she had claimed while pretending to be Mikiku and I was curious to know the real reason. Was she being paid to do it? And who were those raccoon demons who had tied me up in the cave? Not one of my questions was going to be answered if I left.

After looking over the situation one last time, I replied, "If possible, I would prefer to remain in Demon World and complete the mission."

I had mistakenly expected a reaction from Kurama but all he did was nod and tell Hiei to hurry to Spirit World before he disappeared behind one of the doors. Hiei disappeared right after that leaving Kuronue and I alone in the room with the six doors. For a moment the room was silent until Kuronue said, "Well I guess that means I'm sleeping on the couches tonight."

I asked him what he meant by that and he replied, "The lair only has two bedrooms and since Kurama's room has demon-eating plants in it that will eat anyone other than him, my room is the only open one."

"I don't mind sleeping on the couches," I replied while rubbing my forehead, trying to ease the pain from the loud noises.

Kuronue shrugged and moved towards the door Kurama had disappeared behind. "It's fine and besides, it's better that we have someone who can defend the lair sleeping in the main room. Anyways, we might as well as get you some pain killers first. Then you can make up your mind." I followed him through the door and found myself in what could be described as an apartment with dirt walls and no windows. Kuronue pointed out which door led to Kurama's room and warned me once again not to enter before showing me the storeroom and the bathroom where he tossed me a leaf with instructions to eat it.

While I tried to eat the leaf (it was very chewy and stringy), Kuronue and I sat on the couches and talked. The first thing Kuronue asked me about was why I had chosen to remain in Demon World. "Kurama must have given you a thousand reasons to want to avoid him so why didn't you when you had the chance?" Kuronue had asked when I asked why I wouldn't want to stay in my home world.

Frowning and still trying to devour the leaf, I said, "If I left to go to Spirit World now I wouldn't have earned the right to return to Human World since the only thing I've managed to do is cause problems."

Kuronue frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Amaterasu managed to trick me and because of that, she was able to get away many times either because I was a distraction or failed to report to Kurama-san."

"However you also managed to stop Amaterasu from having her way with Kurama too."

I tilted my head to the side. "When did that happen?"

Kuronue grinned. "Because Amaterasu was busy trying to use you to her advantage, she wasn't able to spend as much time around Kurama. For example, if you hadn't been at the cat demon base and if Amaterasu didn't have to keep an eye on you, she probably would have attacked Kurama while he was knocked out after her healing him."

I blinked. "I thought Amaterasu just wanted revenge on Kurama-san for him breaking her heart or something."

Kuronue shook his head. "Nah the only girl Kurama was ever 'with' was Mikiku. Amaterasu's just some obsessed raccoon demon. Somehow she got it into her head that Kurama loves her but is unable to come to terms with his feelings. Ever since then she's been trying to get him to 'admit' his true feelings towards her. Even attacked Mikiku at one point because she heard about them readying to be mates, that's probably why she's going after you now."

I frowned as an image of the female raccoon demon that had been in the cave with me appeared in my mind. "But how did she manage to look like Mikiku-san if she is a raccoon demon?"

"Illusions are Amaterasu's speciality. Personally, I'm amazed that she hasn't taken your form to try to seduce Kurama yet. Speaking of seducing people though, what did the Sinning Tree show you?"

I took my time trying to chew on a piece of the leaf as I tried to think of how to avoid the question. Eventually I had to speak because my mouth was empty so I replied, "Just a demon trying to attack me."

Kuronue frowned but nodded in pity. "So it did have Kurama try to seduce you?"

Unsure of what do to, I nodded.

Kuronue sighed and said, "Well at least you don't have to worry about Kurama ever doing that in real life. As I said before a rock is more of a womanizer than he is. The only things you have to worry about when you are around him are if he is planning to kill you or how he acts when he is drunk. In any case, I admire your courage in putting up with him up to this point and not ditching the mission even though he certainly has given you enough reasons to want to."

"Why do you admire my 'courage'?"

"Because you had no way of knowing Kurama's personality when you made your decision and if I recall, when you first met he wasn't acting much better than he is now. Also the fact that you are still putting up with him even though you both had that huge fight is something too." Kuronue suddenly leaned forward and muttered in my ear, "Also don't trust what Kurama says too much. He doesn't really think of you as a whore. That's how he views Amaterasu and what's why he refuses to give in to her." He paused before continuing at his previous whispering volume, "That and he doesn't like her."

I frowned but was silent as I finally finished the last bit of the leaf. Kuronue quickly noticed and showed me his room. I tried to get him to let me sleep on the couches but the leaf was making me drowsy so eventually I allowed Kuronue to win and curled up under the covers quickly falling asleep and falling into dreams of a past life once more.

Day Hundred-Fourteen

Shortly after Hiei leaves for Spirit World, I return to my room where I light a lamp and report the day's events in my journal that somehow has managed to survive this mission. Before I can complete my entry for today, I hear a knock on the door. Once I am sure my plants will not attack, I allow the person to enter and see that it is Kuronue. He sits down on my bed and asks, "Why didn't you tell her that using her energy would kill her?"

"Tsukino-san barely trusted me before we went on this mission if I had told her she would have completely ignored my warning and assumed that I was lying. If anything she probably would have used her energy more just to annoy me."

"And you didn't expect her to do that if you just ordered her not to without any reason."

I shrug. "I had hoped that she would remember my warning better because she would be wondering what reason I could have for telling her not to use her energy."

"Well that failed."

I nod and return to my papers waiting for Kuronue to leave. A minute has passed and he still has not left. Instead he asks, "Do you think that Tsukino-chan might be Mikiku-chan?"

I shake my head. "I doubt it. Tsukino-san told me she is only twenty-six. Mikiku-chan would be at least hundred times that age by now. Why do you ask?"

Kuronue is silent for a moment before he says, "If Mikiku-chan did lose her memory about us she wouldn't remember at least two thousand years of her life, right?"

I nod. "That doesn't mean that she and Tsukino-san are one in the same."

Kuronue nods. "But she also knew about Amaterasu."

"I'm sure that Amaterasu has run into quite a few cat bat demons and mistaken them for Mikiku-chan."

"Tsukino-chan also knew about the night in the alley Kurama."

I frown. "Which night?"

"The one when I first met Mikiku-chan and gave her Inumaru. She even could recall some of what was said. How could she do that if she isn't Mikiku-chan? Besides I haven't been able to find anything about Mikiku-chan since I came back to my senses. It's as if she had vanished and you have to admit, they have the same voice. I'm willing to bet even the same scent."

I shrug. "I wouldn't know. I haven't smelt Mikiku-chan's true scent since I first met her. She started wearing that wild rose perfume right after that."

Kuronue nods. "Yeah because you said you liked that scent on her, and she thought her original scent made you sick. But if they are the same person, does that mean you two are mates?"

I shake my head. "No. When I died, not only was the bet completed, the mating became invalid. If Tsukino-san is Mikiku-chan and if she did wish for us to be mates again, we would have to start all over. But I doubt that would happen unless Tsukino-san and Mikiku-chan were two different people."

"Why?"

"I doubt that Tsukino-san can even look at me without thinking that I'm planning something to harm her."

"That's your own fault but if they were the same person, do you think that Tsukino-chan would stop existing as she is and go back to being Mikiku-chan?"

I pause before replying and say, "You're in an odd mood tonight Kuronue."

To my surprise, he is staring at me without emotion and says, "I'm just trying to make sure that neither of my little sisters will get hurt again. I'm sure that you care about Tsukino-chan but I thought you cared about Mikiku-chan too. So I'm warning you, if you don't think you can give up your attachment to Mikiku-chan don't get involved with Tsukino-chan. We have no way of knowing if they are one in the same or not. And I don't want Tsukino-chan and you to get together only to break up if Mikiku-chan shows up and wants you back as a mate or break up if Tsukino-chan turns back into Mikiku-chan. Got that?"

I nod and watch as Kuronue moves from the bed and towards the door. Once he is left the room is silent, and I complete my entry for today before pondering over what Kuronue had spoken to me about as I stare at the wall before me.

I consider the fact that it is true that in the past I was determined to win the bet and in attempting to meet my goal changed Mikiku to match my tastes. However, because of that and the fact that I truly had no idea what love was at the time, I had found myself unable to adapt to the mated life as it seemed fake to me. Honestly, I have no desire to return to that life so if Tsukino and I were to become mates, I doubt that I would ever leave her side for another woman.

Idly, I speculate about what mated life would be with Tsukino, assuming of course that she could ever forgive me for the many things I have done to her. Most likely, we would not have children due to Tsukino's parentage but if the feelings I have for her are love and not just lust then perhaps it could work. After all, my human parents brought me up in such an atmosphere before my father died. So if I actually did love Tsukino odds are I would not leave her to return to Mikiku's side no matter what because since I had died I was no longer tied to her in any way.

Finally I consider the possibility of what could happen if Tsukino was actually Mikiku. I doubt I would be able to feel the same way about Mikiku as I would Tsukino in this make-believe situation. However, because of the bet and the fact that I had no care for a mate, I never really bothered to get to know Mikiku on a personal level. That was probably another reason why the mating felt false to me. In any case, all of this would depend on Tsukino's ability to forgive me and whether I actually care for her on that level or not. Like Kuronue, I too have no desire to see either Mikiku or Tsukino harmed.

With a yawn, I lay on my bed and try to sleep and come to the conclusion that all of us will find out soon enough because if Tsukino and Mikiku are the same person she'll be regaining her memories soon. Now that there are no more thoughts to plague me, I slowly fall to sleep all the while fully alert for signs of trouble.

A/N: I felt that was a nice wrap-up for the chapter with Kurama considering all the possible things that could happen with him and Tsukino. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Thanks for reading and reviewing and I hope to see/hear from you at the next chapter!

-D101