Disclaimer: Do we really have to write these anyway? No, I'm serious! Do we? Someone tell me!!!!!!!!!!!

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"Reincarnation….?" Eino starred at Hiei, then glanced over at Yusuke and Hiei, trying to find some kind of a hint. Then he tried a weak grin at them. "You're joking right? Come on you guys. The jokes over now. You can stop pretending …"

"We're not joking, Eino," Yusuke told him, dead serious, an odd expression for the usually comical detective. Eino's grin slipped from his face.

"I can't be a reincarnation," he whispered, half to himself, just loud enough for the other three to catch it. "I'm not some second backup. I'm ME. I'm not anyone else. Just me …"

Suddenly, Hiei lost it. He turned into a whirlwind, grabbing Eino's shoulders and facing the boy head on, shaking Eino's body almost desperately. His eyes looked almost desperately into the youths startled, scared ones. "You ARE Kurama. It's true. You can deny it all you want, but that won't change what you are …" The fire demon's body slid to his knees, letting his hands drag across Eino's sweater. "Don't deny it. Please … It … It hurts too much …"

Yusuke and Kuwabara looked down at Hiei in surprise and bewilderment. Never, in their entire 16 years spent working with the fire demon had they ever seen him act like this. It was too out of character for them to feel right, and unease settled in over the party along with an odd silence.

Yusuke glanced over at Eino, who looked down at Hiei with downcast eyes, making it nearly impossible to tell what he was thinking, his expressions carefully schooled.

"Kurama …," the black haired detective began almost guiltily, holding out a hand timidly toward the boy.

Eino's head flew up, making Yusuke's hand fly back in startlement. There was a picture smeared on the boy's face that Yusuke had never expected to see. It was a picture of resentment and his eyes were almost filled with a hatred. 'Toward me?' Yusuke thought in startlement. 'Why?'

"Shut up!" Eino snarled furiously at him. "Don't call me that! What do you know?! What do any of you know?!" He yelled, directing this comment downwards to the fallen fire demon. "You don't understand! You CAN'T! So don't act like you do!"

And with that, he whirled around, stalking out of the front yard and down the street, away from his own house and the rest of the group. It would have been easy for any of them to catch up to him, but they let him go. No one moved.

"Well," Kuwabara said, letting out a long held back sigh. "That went well."

"Not a chance, Kuwabara," Yusuke told him, still starring off to where Eino had disappeared around the corner. "Not a chance."

Hiei didn't say anything.

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"Eino!" a cry admitted from behind him, as the black haired boy slowly swung his leather schoolbag back and forth with his pace. He slowly turned around and slowed his walking speed down slightly, waiting for his friend to catch up.

When he reached his side, Mido panted tiredly, wiping some invisible sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his school uniform. "Geez!" he complained, grinning widely at his friend as they walked slowly down the sidewalk. "You're supposed to wait for me remember? We walk home together everyday after school and have done so for the past four years!"

"Hn?" Eino looked up from the ground distractedly. "Oh. Sorry," and went back to staring at the floor.

Mido watched his friend concerned. "Hey, are you alright? You've been acting really weird lately.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Eino told him quietly.

Mido frowned deeper and tried a different approach. "Is the ground that much more interesting then me?" he forced himself to laughed, trying to keep the mood light. It was fortunate that he was such a good actor.

"I'm sorry, Mido," Eino said, lifting his eyes from the ground and looking out in front of the two of them instead.

"Rough day?" the brown haired asked.

"Rough WEEK," Eino laughed, which came out more like a forced bark.

"Care to share? Sometimes that helps."

Eino thought back to the Spirit World, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and all the rest of them. Mido was right. Telling him about everything that had happened, including the talk the four had had that day, five days ago. But … no. He wasn't supposed to say anything about it, and he would keep his promise. It wasn't worth it for the word to get around just because of his own selfish reasons. Not that he had any doubt that Mido wouldn't keep it a secret if he asked. But you could just never tell …

"No," he told Mido. "That's alright."

They came to a stop next to a stop sign, where there was an intersecting of the roads. "This is my turn off," Eino said with a wave. "I'll see you later, okay?"

And with that, Eino turned and disappeared. Mido stood there for a moment. Starring down the street. Something was wrong. There was no denying it. Something was very, seriously wrong, and he had a feeling that it didn't only involve Eino … but maybe … just maybe … himself too.

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Okay everyone,

A new chapter is up!!! This is the third to the last chapter, and I already have the ending planned out. Well, this is technically the second to last chapter, because the last is an epilogue, but since that basically clears up the entire truth about the rest of the story, and it's so important, it should really count … just my illogical logic for you (any of my friends recognize this saying, wink wink)!

The next chapter should be up on Tuesday or Wednesday, but since I'm going on a camping trip this weekend, I can't necessarily guarantee it.

Chat soon,

Dream

P.S. Don't assume anything! This story purposely contradicts itself may times!!!!

P.S.S. Maybe I should have put up "mystery" instead…