O.O I had no idea people liked this story so much. I feel so loved. So, this will be a brief Author's note. I do not own any of the YYH characters, only Kaeru and Kia. And Zenkai, of course. Mizu, Z, Chitsuko, Kelsey, and Rei are owned by...people. And...err...yeah. Umm...last chapter, Kaeru and Yukina helped Rinku to escape from Zenkai's dungeon and he went off to get help. And now both Hiei and Kuronue are racing to the rescue. But...what of the OTHER rescue party?

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"How, exactly, are we going to get there?" Kelsey blinked, looking down at Rinku. Before the little youkai could reply, Chuu took it upon himself to answer.

"We can take my car. But I'M drivin'. Don't want any of you messin' 'er up."

"You...DRIVE?" Kia asked incredulously.

"'Course I do!" the drunkard sounded slightly affronted. "Get that look off your face, love. TRUST me!"

"Easier said than done," the girl muttered rebelliously, but sighed. "Okay...so where IS this car of yours?"

***

"...I changed my mind. There's no WAY I'm riding in that." Kia stared at the beaten old gray pick-up truck in absolute horror. "It looks older than Ashita!"

"From your lips to her ears," Kelsey warned her friend.

"Oh, stop being so stubborn." Before Kia could protest, Suzaku had scooped up the Mirror Holder and hauled her into the cramped backseat, lifting Rinku and Kelsey up next. Kuwabara had to climb up himself, and then he was forced to ride in the very back of the truck, before he squashed them all. The Saint Beast sat in the passenger seat, and Chuu hopped into the driver's seat.

"Fasten your seatbelts, minna!"

"...There ARE no seatbelts, Chuu," Kelsey pointed out, after a fruitless search.

He grinned cheerfully. "Oh, well. Hang on, then."

Rinku shivered and crawled into Kia's lap. She wrapped her arms around him, resisting the urge to shudder herself.

Chuu chuckled and stomped on the gas pedal. The truck shot forward and both Mirror Holders stifled screams.

"Which way, Rinku?" He bellowed as the car bounced along the road.

"North...North, and keep going North."

"Right!" He spun the steering wheel and Suzaku flinched.

"That's...SOUTH..." Kia informed him, getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Chuu was still grinning amiably. "Oops." He spun the wheel again, provoking a furious shriek from the back of the truck. "Sorry, Kuwabara!"

"HURRY UP SO WE CAN SAVE MY YUKINA-SAN!"

Both Kelsey and Kia vowed to kill Kuwabara as the youkai obliged, speeding up and weaving along the road, narrowly avoiding cars. And then he slammed into the back of a giant SUV in front of them.



This time, Kia really DID scream.

"CHUU, YOU BAKA, IF WE SURVIVE THIS, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!!"

Chuu somehow sensed that she was absolutely serious. So he turned on the radio. As the sounds of "Waltzing Matilda" filled the battered truck, drowning out the angry yells of the SUV's driver, he reversed slightly, changed gears, and was off again. Kelsey slowly slid out of her seat to the floor, and Kia and Rinku both closed their eyes, looking ill.

"Tell me when it's over, tell me when it's over," Suzaku could be heard mumbling fervently under his breath.

"I can't tell you when it's over," Kia replied, her voice shaking. "I'm not even LOOKING anymore!"

"That makes all of us!" Chuu commented.

His passengers froze.

"You're...not...looking...at the road...?" Kelsey said slowly, praying she'd heard him wrong. Unfortunately, she hadn't.

"Nope! It's giving me a headache."

Rinku let out a wail. It took all of Kia's self-control not to break down and join him. She settled for the more logical approach.

"Okay, Chuu. Either you open your eyes and take the demon version of Ibuprofen later or I'LL drive!"

"Please do..." Suzaku pleaded.

The drunkard hastily opened his blood-shot eyes. "Oh, kuso. Traffic." He frowned, deliberating. "What say we just-"

"NO!" came the vehement reply from five mouths.

"...You're no fun." He leaned against the steering wheel, accidentally hitting the horn and earning himself angry glares from drivers AND passengers. "How 'bout a sing-a-long?" Without bothering to wait for a reply, he burst into loud, bawdy song. "Ninety-nine bottles of sake on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of sake..."

There was the audible sound of Suzaku. Banging his head on the dashboard. Hard.



***Zenkai's...Place***

"...Hey, new ones!" There was a pounding at the large wooden door that sealed the Koorime's only way of escape. "Koorime?"

Kaeru and Yukina looked at each other, and the latter shrugged helplessly. "Hai," Kaeru replied hesitantly.

"Oh, you poor things!" To their great surprise, there was a click, and the door swung open, revealing a young woman with bushy reddish/brown hair. Two tan pointed ears poked from the mess, and a bushy white-tipped tail of the same color swished behind her. Blue-green eyes studied the two Ice Maidens intently. She was dressed in a pair of bright pink shorts and a yellow-collared cream shirt, a blue tie setting off her ensemble. She also had whiskers.

"...I...umm...who ARE you?" Kaeru asked finally.

"Oh!" She pirouetted, ending with a great flourish of hands. "My name is Koto. I'm an announcer for the Ankoku and Makai Bujutsukai and ah...Zenkai...found out that I knew about Hiei, since he was a participant...and...ah...when I wouldn't give him any information, he brought me here. I'm due to die any day now."

"That's terrible," Yukina said sympathetically. "But why would Zenkai want to know about Hiei-san? Is there any way we can assist you?"

Koto shrugged, whiskers twitching. "I don't know what Zenkai wants with Hiei. And...you're Koorime...think you can help us break out of here?"

The two stared at her. "You know of a way??" Kaeru asked excitedly.

"Well, with you two, now I do!" Koto giggled, grasping their hands in hers and dragging them out of the cell. "Come on, let me introduce you to the others!"

"Eh...new 'uns?" A grizzled old man in a wrinkled white robe approached them, leaning heavily on an ebony cane. He took a closer look at the two Koorime, beady black eyes twinkling. "An' right pretty little things, ain't they, Koto?"

"Right, Hiouji." The announcer rolled her eyes humorously.

"What brings ye here, girls?" Hiouji addressed them, winking. "Lookin' fer an older, more experienced man? Look no further!"

"Ah..." Yukina sweatdropped, looking at her friend for support. Kaeru seemed just as lost.

"They were captured," Koto explained, glancing at the Ice Maidens for affirmation. When she received it, she continued. "I'm guessing the only reason they're not dead is..."

"One of them must be the one Zenkai keeps complaining about." A boy about Rinku's age and size walked towards them, followed by a fierce-looking emerald dragon. It was extremely large-it had to duck its head to avoid bumping it on the high stone wall. "I'm Ryuufa," he introduced himself, brown eyes wide with curiosity. "And this is my Spirit Beast, Tonbo."

"And I thought Spirit Beasts were like Puu..." Kaeru said in wonder, staring at the dragon in fearful awe. "You must be very fierce if he reflects your innermost self."

Ryuufa smiled bashfully, running one hand through his spiked black hair. "I am. Are either of you named Kaeru?"

Yukina nudged her friend. "She is." Both Koorime were wondering why the old man and the boy were being held prisoner. What could they have possibly done?

"Ah..." Hiouji gazed sadly at Kaeru. "Zenkai has mentioned ye...I'm unsure what ye did t' make him so mad, but he's lookin' fer revenge."

"I don't know what I did to anger him," the Koorime admitted.

"Ah, well. S'pose ye spend yer last minutes here wit' me...I'm still a fun guy! I promise ye a good time, and yer pretty friend can join too!"

"...No, thank you," Kaeru answered politely, starting to feel uncomfortable.

"If one of you can create a diversion," Koto interceded before Hiouji got "notions", "I think the other can help us break down the main door...just freeze the lock, and we'll shatter it."

Yukina and Kaeru nodded grimly.

"Let's do it, then!" Ryuufa said happily.

******

Zenkai sat on his cold black marble throne, shrouded in a hooded black cloak that revealed only hard crimson eyes, like brittle rubies. He was lost in thought, speaking aloud to no one in particular. Or someone.

"Ah, Kazuko, even dead, you still defy me. Hiding her in Ningenkai was not enough. I have your daughter, and she shall pay the ultimate price for being born...born a Koorime. And born YOUR daughter."

His frown was hidden, but it was definitely there. "Your proud race thinks too highly of itself. For their crimes against me, I vowed to destroy them all, starting with the ones who first caused my suffering. The Elders were first. And then you, my dear Kazuko. And your defenseless offspring. I had no idea she possessed it. But YOU knew. You sought to keep her safe from me, didn't you? Well, it didn't work. I shall take back what is mine and exact my revenge upon all Ice Maidens. And those who aided them, like that ridiculous boy and that old man...and that annoying fox girl."

A sudden loud crash from the dungeon alerted the Koorime Hunter to trouble. He rose from his throne and glided towards the sound. As he reached for the door, it suddenly fell forward. On him.

"I think it's safe now." Kaeru peered out, not noticing Zenkai under the wooden door. "Isogu..." (Hurry)

"Hai! Arigato, Kaeru!" Koto leapt nimbly over the fallen door, sprinting down the corridor to freedom. Ryuufa and his dragon were quick on her heels. Hiouji hesitated, winking at Kaeru and Yukina. "Ye know where t'find me." And he hurried off.

"No, we don't..." Yukina looked bewildered.

Kaeru giggled. "It might be best if we don't." She stepped on the door. "We should go, too..."

"Hai..." her friend agreed...then blinked. "Kaeru-chan, watch out!!"

"Nani?" Kaeru frowned, then screamed as the door was heaved up, jumping down just in time as it was thrown into a wall, splintering badly. She looked to see the cause of the flying door-and froze in horror.

"Kaeru..." Zenkai breathed, hardly believing this. She hadn't fled...she was here, in front of him. Two defenseless Koorime and a Hunter. Perfect. "I've been waiting for this day for a very long time..." He lunged for her and Yukina...just as a dungeon wall suddenly exploded, orange flames licking at the crumbled edges before vanishing.

"Get away from them." Hiei stood there, eyes narrowed in fury, the white cloth missing from its usual place under his bangs. In its place, there was a purple eye. No, now it was glowing bright green.



"Ah...Hiei." The crimson eyes widened. "Now my day is complete. I can destroy you three at once."

"It won't be that easy," the Jaganshi said quietly. "You should never have taken them. For that, you will pay with your life."

"Ho." Zenkai chuckled. "Big words from such a little man." Before any of them could blink, a pale hand shot out and grabbed Kaeru by the throat, contracting cruelly. "I'll deal with you later. But now..." he glared down at the Koorime. "Give it to me, Girl. It is mine and you shall not possess it any longer. Give it up!"

"...I don't....know...what you're....talking about..." Kaeru managed, gasping for air.

He chuckled again. "It does not matter. I shall take it by force, then." His grip tightened and Kaeru's knees buckled. Hiei grabbed his katana, unsure if he should leave Yukina's side to save Kaeru. Luckily, someone else did that.

Kuronue came hurtling into the room, violet eyes alight with pure rage. He tackled Zenkai, forcing him to release Kaeru, and scooping her up into his arms.

"No one..." he said, very deliberately, "hurts her."

*OOC*

Oh, my...here we go...NOW it gets fun! Please review! This chapter was actually pretty easy to write...o.o NEXT chapter!

* Zenkai plunges Kuronue into a living nightmare. Will Kuronue be forced to relive his own death?

* Yukina and Kuronue are both attacked...and Hiei and Kaeru are livid. Beware a certain black dragon...and...joined by another dragon? O.o

* Somehow, our heroes manage to survive Chuu. But when they find the place burning down, what will become of Kaeru?