Yusuke found him self in a dark, dark room.

He starred off, waiting for the images that were already going to come. Soon enough he saw Kuwabara and himself. They were laughing, but no sound was heard. The two were happily talking, Kuwabara punching his chest, and grinning like a goof.

Yusuke smiled and wept at this scene. He reached out as if trying to catch his stream of memories. But they flew away like wild butterflies. This scene would not partake in a long while after all this...that scene may never happen...if Kira won.

The scene faded and Kuwabara no longer wore his hair up. It was curly, like it was now, and instead of short, it was in a ponytail. He had a white shirt and tie, he was talking to kids. Yusuke appeared, entering a door, unchanged. In fact, he could have been mistaken for one of the young teens surrounding Kuwabara.

Yusuke laughed at this scene. A teacher? Is that what Kuwabara would be? It almost suited him. Who cared more for anybody than Kuwabara. Kids would need him. Especially in Jr. high through Highschool.

The two immediately embraced, and talked, and laughed some more. Kuwabara made a sweeping motion, and Yusuke could only assume that his image was being introduced to the class. His image smiled and a few of the classmates asked questions. They pointed at Yusuke and looked at Kuwabara.

The older Kuwabara, and the still looking young Yusuke laughed, and the two shook their heads. Kuwabara gave Yusuke a noogie and the image flapped his arms around.

The scene faded and now Kuwabara's hair was short, Still curly, but turning gray. He was looking a bit old now. Yusuke was on his back, and Kuwabara was running with a foot ball over his head. The two fell laughing in a pile of leaves, and Kuwabara got up, doing an odd dance. He'd scored a touch down.

Once again...Yusuke was unchanged.

Yusuke fell on his knees. He was crying now. All his pent up emotions pouring out of him. The horror of the situation, the pain of it all. The sorrow riding on his back, pressing his shoulders down hard, trying to hurl his body in pain.

And Yet, he cried because of the beauty of these images. Before this, Yusuke would have just shrugged, gotten flustered, and demanded to know why someone had some scenes of him and Kuwabara.

Now...he would never mistreat his time with Kuwabara or anyone...never.

The next scene was of Yusuke, he was talking with Kuwabara in his home. But...Kuwabara was barely recognizable. He was an old...old man. He had longish gray curls, and pale wrinkled skin. The old Kuwabara's eyes twinkled still with the stubbornness and pride. Weakly he lifted a cane, and smacked Yusuke on his head. The Yusuke image collapsed with fake pain...

The real Yusuke cried, once again...the image was unchanged.

The next scene was of the unchanged Yusuke, crying at a grave. ~Here lies Kazuma Kuwabara...

"NOOOOOOOO!!" Yusuke roared, breaking out of his mute stupor causing Kira to jump. Yusuke began slamming his fists into the walls around him, and cursing. His knuckles pierced through the skin, and blood dripped all over the ground. He finally stopped moving and collapsed.

"Kuwabara...."

"So is this the-"

"Its the future....I already knew...I knew Kuwabara would never change into a demon...no matter how close we were. He would never want to be something he's not." Yusuke spat angrily.

He choked back a sob, and Kira frowned.

"And I would never force him..." He muttered weakly.

"You pass."

Yusuke was back in the room, Kurama and Hiei starring at him with shock. How had he gotten here so soon. When Kurama saw the tears streaming angrily down his face, Kurama cried out remembering his task.

Hiei looked back at him, taking his shoulder. The Fox demon trembled madly under his grip.

Yusuke marched over to Kuwabara, and kneeled over him. Kuwabara squeezed his eyes up and began whimpering.

"Yusuke...He just now started talking to us...don't-"

"SHUT UP HIEI!"

Hiei blinked with surprise. He uneasily watched Yusuke and Kuwabara. Kurama whimpered and Hiei shrugged. What ever Yusuke's problem was he had no time to worry about it, he had his own problem. He turned to the cowering red head, and tried to offer support. Not one of his strong suits.

"KUWABARA HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME!" Kuwabara was crying even harder, and Yusuke had his shoulders. Both were sobbing, Kuwabara from fear and Yusuke from anger. "Ur...don...don't touch..."

Yusuke grabbed Kuwabara, and held him tightly. Kuwabara began to whimper, and Yusuke spoke calmer though his eyes flooded with tears. "Kuwabara...I stick to what I said, I will never touch you in any way like what happened to you. Look I'm holding you...I'm not hurting you...why couldn't you tell me? " Yusuke gave out a bitter sob, slinking to the floor; holding Kuwabara tighter still. Kuwabara gave a violent shudder and went limp. His breathing evened and he whispered, "I...you look..."

"You look like the creature that hurt me."

The room went silent, and Hiei turned to look at Kuwabara, resting like he was dead in Yusuke's arms. Kurama stopped his shaking and rocking himself, to look at Kuwabara with wide bloodshot green eyes.

Kuwabara sounded normal when he said that. Dead as could be, but normal. No inhuman cries, and no stuttering or sobbing.

Yusuke stroked his hair, and then rubbed his hand though his own hair, now hanging damply from sweat, like Kuwabara's.

"Why couldn't you tell me...that you weren't going to become a demon...weren't going to be able to stay with me."

Kuwabara looked up, "I didn't...know how....How do I tell me best friend...that he's going to have to watch me die?"

Yusuke looked into his best friend's eyes. He then looked into Hiei's who looked back. His mouth opened something as if seeing something for the first time. Yusuke looked at Kurama, Kurama sat up fully, hope in his eyes.

The old Yusuke was resurfacing. They could see it in his eyes.

Yusuke sobbed and held Kuwabara close, "Well we're all going to die now."

"No Yusuke. How can you be so stupid?" Hiei looked at him, he knew what he'd seen welling Yusuke's eye was not his imagination. Kurama looked calmer, he'd seen it too. If Yusuke was coming back, then they all were going to be okay.

"We're going to live."

Yusuke went silent and held Kuwabara, starring off at the wall. He clung to Kuwabara, and circling through his head, was everything he and his friends had endured. Everything.

He pulled Kuwabara closer, and whispered, "Di...did...I in your test...hurt you a...a lot?" Kuwabara went stiff and he gripped onto Yusuke's shirt tighter. Yusuke took the hand, and it relaxed.

"Your still me best friend."

Kuwabara looked up at Yusuke, "Don't...Don't forget that your still my best friend..." Yusuke was surprised to hear Kuwabara say this. Kuwabara relaxed on Yusuke tiredly, "Your all...still my friends...I'm just not whole right now..." Kuwabara gave a bitter laugh and everyone looked at him.

Quite suddenly all four began to laugh.

"None of us are 'whole' are we?" Kurama laughed, tears streaming down his face. The others shook their heads, laughing. At the moment, something about the fact, that they were never going to be the same again, seemed incredibly funny. Some times, to help you face you darkest of opponents, your darkest fears, you need to laugh at yourself. Laugh at your pain.

Laugh at your death.

Kira popped up and glared at them all.

"You may all enter through the red door."

It opened and she landed on the ground, and walked in.

The group got up, and it was then they realized, Kuwabara had lost too much blood. He would not be able to stand on his own.

Yusuke knelt down, "I'm going to carry you. I won't hurt you." Kuwabara's eyes were filled with fear, and Yusuke continued to cry as he remembered the grave of his friend. And now...his friend's eyes...they were soulless.

Kuwabara calmed a bit and nodded. Yusuke placed him on his back, and walked with the others.

Hiei had to help Kurama stand. He shook and clung to Hiei. His eyes were darting, and he muttered things quickly. They were quick, well though out, plans. Plans of escape.

To see the red haired fox like this, was a sight worse than death. Hiei through his calm front, his cool show, was a scared demon. He was locked inside a cage and running around as cries filled the air. Hiei supported his friend, and tried to make sure he could stand.

Through out this nightmare, he'd been trying to drag everyone on. Push them forward, and give them hope, something he never did often. He had lassoed chains around their waist's and slung the heavy metal on his shoulders and dragged their struggling limp forms. As he helped them to rise, he kept sinking, and sinking. He was drowning now, and as soon as they were all safe and sound, as soon as his friends were tucked away....

Hiei would end his life.

It was all planned out in his head. Since he saw Kurama in his 2nd test. With his hair all shaven, and veins running through him. Hiei would be rash for once, something he often told Yusuke, or Kuwabara not to do.

Hiei would commit suicide. And that thought made him smile.

Kurama gripped Hiei's black shirt, his eyes were dancing wildly. He was almost gone. He had one coherent thought, don't let his friend's be killed.

As they walked to the door, bright light swallowed them up and then...

They were outside, standing next to their picnic basket.

The sun was setting in the background.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yo.

^_^ guess what.

The next chapter is the last....la....and now heres the evil part. Um...if you think Kira's gonna die...just don't get too excited okay? jane! Pigbutt!!