I'm sowwy about the long delay between chapters. I was gone on a trip right after I posted number five, and well, then things happen, and because school started, it takes me forever to write the chapter (let alone find time to post it) Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter six!

Oh, and by the way, I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho

Yusuke looked around at the dead demons surrounding him and Kuwabara. It had been a long fight, that was for sure, and both the boys sported many cuts and scrapes. Calling back his Spirit Sword, Kuwabara walked up to Yusuke, whose eye was swelling while turning black, blue, and purple. Kuwabara himself could feel his head pounding, and when he reached a hand to it, he felt a large bump. He tapped it. It hurt. Badly. Yusuke's battered face cracked into a smile, and so did Kuwabara's, until they noticed the absense of their redheaded friend.
"Hey, where's Kurama?" Kuwabara asked, looking around the clearing for any sign of the fox. Taking Kuwabara's lead, Yusuke looked as well.
"I don't know," Yusuke said. "Do you think that he may have went into the forest after one of the demons?"
"I don't think so," Kuwabara said. "He wouldn't have had any reason to."
"Perhaps he went after the treasures?" Yusuke said, more to himself than to Kuwabara. Suddenly struck by a thought, he went to the demon army's leader, whose head lay several feet from his still body. Yusuke grabbed it and rummaged through the many pockets. After about ten minutes, he had retrieved the six keys from the body. "Nevermind," Yusuke said.
"Then it's a 'no'?" Kuwabara asked. Yusuke nodded solemly.
"We should contact Koenma and tell him about this," Yusuke said, pulling out his communication mirror. Kuwabara watched as Yusuke pushed several buttons, trying to find the one to contact the Spirit World. He had obviously not used it much. After a few moments, he cursed.
"What?" Kuwabara asked him.
"I don't think it works," Yusuke said.
"WHAT?" Kuwabara yelled. "Urameshi! You gotta be kidding me!!" Meanwhile, Yusuke looked the mirror over.
"Yep, here, look," he said. "This part got smashed in. During the fight, I bet."
"And that means?"
"I'm no mechanic, but I think that means it's broken," Yusuke said. "It sure looks like a vital part to the machine."
"I bet Kurama could figure out how to fix it," Kuwabara pouted.
"We're not talking about Kurama right now," Yusuke said. Kuwabara shot a puzzled look at him as best he could. His head still hurt.
"Why not?"
"I don't want to think about what could have happened to him out there," Yusuke said. "As much as he claims that he can take care of himself, he's not entirely Youko anymore." Kuwabara nodded. "What I'm saying here is that we need to find him and make sure he's okay."
"Urameshi?"
"Yeah?"
"Usually you'd just say that we keep an eye out for him as we make our way back into the living world," Kuwabara told him. "What's the big deal about him now?"
"Do you remember Karasu at the Dark Tournament?" Yusuke asked. He wasn't hoping for miracles, though.
"Yeah, I think. Was that the freaky guy with the mask who blew people up?" Kuwabara asked, an even more puzzled look on his face.
"Yeah, him. Well, he came back from the Spirit World, and Koenma thought he was after Kurama for revenge," Yusuke said. "He also thought Karasu was in the Human Realm. I'm not so sure about that anymore."
"Do you think he has Kurama?"
"I hope not."

"Okay, we've lowered our searches down to two realms," Koenma said. "We know Karasu is not in the Human Realm, thanks to Hiei." Koenma threw a small smile at Hiei (as best he could with a pacifier in his mouth) who gave a loud "Hn".
"So that means we've got the Spirit World, and the Makai," Botan said, looking nervously around at everyone.
"We hope that he's not in the Makai," Koenma said.
"Right, because that's where Yusuke and the others are," Botan confirmed. Hiei, meanwhile, was looking slightly annoyed and bored with the conversation at hand.
"I hate to be optimistic," he said. "But I think Kurama can take care of himself," Hiei told the others, glaring at them as if daring them to deny what he had said.
"He has got a point, Koenma sir," Botan said. "And I hate to be off- subject, but where is Jorge?" The blue oni was, in fact, missing from the office at the time.
"He's getting reports on the three realms," Koenma told her, and then turned to Hiei. "I don't mean to contradict you, but the last time, Kurama only beat Karasu by the skin of his teeth. And this time, without the ability to turn into Youko Kurama. . . . "
"He doesn't stand a chance," Botan finished for him. Koenma nodded.
"Even if he is in the Makai, I think Kurama and Yusuke stand a fair chance of completing the case at hand and getting back before Karasu even realizes he's there," Hiei said.
"I don't think so," Koenma siad. "Karasu's more organized than that."

"We honestly don't know what's going on," Botan said.
"I know you don't," Hiei said.
"That wasn't very nice!" Botan declared, glaring at Hiei. Hiei ignored her.
"And it's about time that you admitted it," he said, finishing off where Botan had interrupted. She threw him another glare.
"And that wasn't either," she told him. "We've said from the start that we have no idea where he is or what he's up to."
"Not from what I remember," Hiei told her. "You were sure he was in the Human Realm, it was just up to me to find out exactly where."
"Koenma said that, not me!" Botan declared, obviously forgetting that the toddler was sitting right next to them. "And you know how he is!"
"Right," Hiei said sarcasticly.
"Yo! In case anyone hasn't noticed, I'm still herem listening to you two insult me," Koenma said, rising from his seat to look at the two. "Botan, I don't like what's coming out of your mouth right now, don't ever say it again. Hiei, we're very sorry about what happened."
"Whatever."
"Koenma sir!" Jorge came running into the office, holding a peice of charred and torn paper in his hands.
"What is it?" Koenma asked. Jorge thrust the paper at him, and he read it quickly. He went pale as he read it over twice more.
"Koenma sir?" Botan asked.
"He has Kurama," Koenma said flatly, his voice not showing any sign of happiness or joy about the fact. Hiei sat up straight, Botan clapped her hands over her mouth, and Jorge, who obviously already knew, bowed his head.
"Karasu?" Hiei asked.
"Yes," Koenma said. "And he will not release him until we surrender the Spirit World to him." Koenma looked, heck, was scared to death. Hiei had not moved after his initial reaction, but his face was going paler by the minute. Botan already looked as though she were about to be sick. Jorge showed no emotion.
"What are we going to do, Koenma sir?" Jorge asked.
"Hiei, go tell Yusuke and Kuwabara," Koenma said. "And well, we'll have to consider Karasu's offer."
"We can't!" Botan yelled. "We can't do that!"
"Kurama isn't worth this!" Jorge said wihtout thinking. The other three froze and slowly turned to face him. "Uh . . . oops?"
"You never say that again," Koenma said. "He is worth any price I am willing to pay, as are the other three detectives."
"Yes," Botan said. Hiei had not made a noise, but was trembling with held-back rage against the blue oni.
"Go, Hiei," Koenma said, noticing this. Hiei nodded and vanished. The three bowed their heads and wondered how the Spirit Detective would get out of this.

"How far do you think he could have gotten, Urameshi? We've been walking for hours!" Kuwabara complained. "And my feet hurt!"
"Mine do too, okay?" Yusuke snapped, letting his anger and panick get the better of him. "We have to find Kurama though."
"I thought you said Karasu was in the Human Realm," Kuwabara said.
"That was what Botan and Koenma thought," Yusuke told him. "I said that I wasn't so sure anymore."
"I don't want to keep walking," Kuwabara said. "Isn't there an easier way?"
"I don't think so," Yusuke said. "Do you want to take a rest?" Yusuke wasn't sure why he was offering this when Kurama could be in potential danger, but he felt he had to do something to get his mind off the fox. Kuwabara looked around. They were in a spooky bamboo forest where the stuff grew so tall that they couldn't even see the sky, and that made Kuwabara nervous. There was the added fact that there was something that looked too much like dried blood splashed everywhere; on the trees, on the ground, and even on the other few plants that had tried to grow in the eternal darkness.
"No way!" Kuwabara yelled. "This place is way too spooky!" As Yusuke looked around as well, finally taking in the details, he had to admit that his friend had a point.
"Yeah, let's get out of here," Yusuke said, all to aware of the dried blood and wondering who it might have belonged to. They walked on in silence, each unable to find the right words to comfort the other. Finally, Kuwabara gave it a shot.
"You know, Urameshi," Kuwabara said. "Just because we can't find Kurama doesn't mean Karasu has him." The darker-haired boy looked up at his friend, a glint of hope glimmering in his eyes, the one place the hopelessness of the situation hadn't touched.
"You think?"
"We all remember what Kurama could do at the tournament, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, then, if he can do it again, there's nothing to worry about!"
"But, Kuwabara," Yusuke said, his mind resuming its tricks. "He was able to turn into Youko Kurama at the tournament. Now, he couldn't grow a tail even if he tried."
"Let's not think about that," Kuwabara said.
"Right, let's keep going." Their talk had brought them out of the bamboo forest and into another small demon town. As the two walked down the "Main Street" they saw lesser and more timid demons hide themselves among the shadows.
"Geez, they must be scared of us," Kuwabara said after a demon had tripped over his own tail in his hurry to get away from the Spirit Detectives.
"Ya think, Kuwabara?" Yusuke asked, getting some of his old additude back. "There has to be a reason they're running away. Then again, they might be running from your face."
"Urameshi!" Kuwabara cried, thinking his friend might have not realized what he had said. But Yusuke was fully aware that he had just said something that might have come out of Hiei's mouth. "I think Kurama was right when he said that you've been spending too much time around the Shrimp!"
"You're . . . hope . . . less, Kuwabara," Yusuke gasped between peals of laughter. Kuwabara, meanwhile, was crossing his arms over his chest. "Speaking of Hiei, should we try and contact him to tell him about what happened to Kurama?"
"I think that would be a waste of time, as I already know where he is." Both Yusuke and Kuwabara whipped around to see Hiei leaning against a building, arms crossed in the shadows. It took Kuwabara a moment to register the fact that it was Hiei and not someone trying to kill them.
"Hiei!" Yusuke yelled.
"Shrimp! I mean, nice to see you, Hiei," Kuwabara said.
"Yes," Hiei said. "I was tripping all over myself to get this chance to come and see you guys here in the Makai."
"Really?" Kuwabara asked, missing the sarcasm in Hiei's voice.
"He was joking, Kuwabara," Yusuke said. "So, why are you, of all demons, here?"
"I came to tell you something Koenma felt you needed to know," Hiei said. Then, feeling as if he might do the thing properly, he added, "About Kurama."
"He made it back?" Yusuke yelled.
"He's okay?" Kuwabara yelled.
"Neither," Hiei said, and both boys frowned at him. "Karasu has him."

"How do you know?" Yusuke demanded. "And how can you be so calm when he's in danger like this?"
"I'm not calm," Hiei stated simply. "I don't show emotions. And, Koenma received a letter from Karasu himself telling us that he had Kurama."
"Where?"
"In the Makai."
"Dang! I knew he was here!"
"And would not release him unless Koenma handed him the Spirit World as a ransom," Hiei finished. Both of the other boys stopped dead and looked at him. Both went a very nice pale color, and Kuwabara's mouth dropped open at the thought of a ransom that large. Yusuke was the first one to risk speaking.
"Shit," he mumbled.
"'Shit' is right," Hiei said, taking on the role of bad news. "And I don't think Koenma's about to pay a price that large just for a former theif."
"True," Yusuke said. "So what do we do?"
"Koenma didn't say anything about that," Hiei said. "But I think we take this into our own hands. Do you understand?"
"You can't mean," Yusuke began, but didn't dare finish.
"You're crazy," Kuwabara stated simply.
"We're gonna find Karasu and take Kurama back ourselves," Hiei said.

Kurama was not sure where he was when he woke up. His whole body hurt, and he felt like he hadn't slept or eaten in days. Not bothering to open his eyes, he pushed himself up and wondered what in the world had made his mouth so dry. He swallowed, and his head spun. (Damn,) he thought. (What hit me? Where are Yusuke and Kuwabara?) He swallowed again, ignoring the unplesant feeling, and remembered. (The last time I saw them, they were in the fight . . . Oh no!) He sat straight up as the fearful thought worked its way into his brain. (They couldn't have lost, could they?) He wondered. He heard a voice then, a voice that sent a hot drop of fear into his stomach.
"Open your eyes, fox." Fearing the very worst, Kurama slowly pried one eye open, and then the other. He discovered what he was laying on was a soft feather bed (which made him even more confused,) and that his dreams were not entirely fiction. Karasu stood before him, in his reach, but Kurama did not feel like striking him. Even though he could not see the other demon's face, he could sense a smile creeping up behind the mask. "What do you think?" Kurama looked around again, and honestly stated the first thing that came into his mind.
"I'm gonna be sick," he said, and leaned over to the other side of the bed and vomited. Karasu watched without interest as the fox brought his head up again, the edges of his mouth tinged a fine shade of green.
"Yes, I forget that the potion I doused that cloth with could do that to a demon," he said. Kurama wiped his mouth, and looked at Karasu. The demon was surprised to see the fox's eyes were glazed over. "Perhaps I ought to get you a pan. . . . " he added as Kurama turned away again, and numerous gagging sounds echoed in the room, and he hurried away. When he came back, Kurama was still a fine shade of green, and unplesant-looking stuff coated some of the red hair that hung around Kurama's mouth. The fox was actually laying on his back, waiting for the sickness to pass. As Karasu laid the pan down beside the bed, the fox didn't open his eyes, but stirred slightly.
"What do you want with me?" he asked. Even speaking brought an unwelcome taste to his mouth, and the fox was all to aware of the vomit that had gotten caught in his hair. He was too sick to wipe it away, though. "Well?" he asked, his mind slowly comprehending that Karasu had yet to give him an answer. There were a few seconds of silence, and then Kurama was surprised to feel something working its way through his hair. He opened his eyes to see Karasu leaning over him, a vomit-covered cloth in hand. He closed his eyes again.
"We should leave that until you are well, fox," Karasu said, and Kurama was dimly aware of Karasu moving away from him.
"Perhaps," Kurama muttered, his mind drifting into the black of sleep. (No!) he told himself, (You can't fall asleep now!)
"Sleep, and we shall discuss such things when you are awake," Karasu said. Kurama nodded mutely, and let his mind take him to dream. Okay, so Kurama has not died yet, that is good

Kurama: *rocking back and forth in corner, his hands over his ears* I am not hearing this, she is creepy, this isn't really happening.

Nagem: Mwahahaha.

Hiei: You're mean.

Nagem: *Showing no sign of hearing Hiei* You're ruining your image, Kurama! Get up!

Kurama: Review, and she might be nicer to me in the next chapter!