Author's Notes: Hehe, just to comment that this was started right after I finished Chapter Three because my dad was hogging the phone line. And I'm feeling depressed and bored, so why not? Oh, and you'll FINALLY see where the title's from.... ^^;; Oh yeah, and Hiei's still in that dream from the end of the last chapter. And for the 'giant holes' that two reviewers mentioned, I tried to fix that this chapter.

Key:

Because the italics are being stubborn, dreams will be marked from here on with a ~*~ at the beginning and a *~* at the end. Emphasis seems to show up fine, so nothing for that. Thoughts will be surrounded by 'and'.

Warnings: blood, shounen-ai, slight self-mutilation. Later, genocide, suicide, body mutilation, and generally, things Hiei would do without a second thought. (Quote Botan: Hiei is powerful, and completely ruthless!) Eh, that wasn't pointing toward the suicide thing, but whatever.

*~*~*Conspiracy*~*~*

~*~

...will... will..." Either way my domination isn't going to continue for long.... "First, tell me how I'm going to get Karasu over here!" I demand. Close shave there.

Koemna sighs, annoyed, leans back, and rubs his temples, glaring at the ceiling. "Get close with him and then trick him into marching right into the ward trap we prepared!"

I pale. "What do you mean by 'get close?!'" Needless to say, I'm frightened to death about even getting physically close.... The Youkai could easily trap me in one of his magic touches, making me his puppet forever. This has to be a conspiracy. A conspiracy of the dead.

"Or you could attempt to fight him, but that's even more risky, is it not?" Kurama mocks smoothly.

"DAMN GHOSTS!" I aim the Dragon of the Darkness Flame[1] at all five of them. But it refuses to heed my command and turns on me. I curse, stepping back. Fortunately, it is snared by Kurama's 'pretty flower trick,' as I called it. Due to my Jagan's current state of injury, it doesn't appear to be as powerful and vanishes.

"Make your decision," Yusuke prompts.

"I...." During this crisis, my Youki flares. The Spirit Detectives take a hesitant step back. "I REFUSE!" Some of Koenma's papers light on fire. He gasps and steps away. The file with Karasu's information sets alight, too, and his smirking face burns... just like how I would burn him with my own wrath. "No one shall control me again!"

*~*

I awake with a gasp and flames surrounding me. I don't feel the pain on my forehead anymore. Feeling it, I realize my Jagan has healed. My bandages and headband have long burned off, and my clothes are half-incinerated. I'm still on the deck of the ship, and it seems I've set the place on fire in my sleep.

"Well?" Karasu prompts as he flips gracefully off the deck. There is a splash below, and I hesitantly look off the side of the ship. The crew and Karasu are swimming on top of the ocean, watching. I carelessly jump off, struggling as the impact with the cold water stings my limbs. The ship is then enveloped in flames, and that giant ball of fire, too, is put out as the water smothers it with a hiss.

Suddenly, there's roaring behind me. I turn around in time to yell, "TIDAL WAVE!" Karasu-tachi[2] turn around to face the massive wall of water as we all are taken under... frozen expressions of shock on our faces.

~*~

I'm alive?

Am I?

If I am... why is darkness all I see?

Surrounding... crushing... it's consuming my soul.

I must get away from this force if I want to survive....

But how, and what is this force?[3]

*~*

I cough and sputter as liquid rises in my mouth. My eyes snap open, and I look around wildly. I remember I felt something break inside me... but what is it? I cough again, taking in the salty sea air. I look along this beach to find I'm back on that island I was trapped on a day ago.[4] Something coughs, and I whirl around to find Karasu beside me. I gather my Youki, preparing to aim it at him. "If you dare to challenge my conquest, you have to get through me, first!"

Karasu laughs and takes off his mask. "Whoever said I wanted to dominate your world?" He creeps over. Again I was paralyzed, unable to move, unable to think.... My gathered Youki dissipates into confusion. "I want to dominate your love." He grabs me and places his lips on mine. For a moment, I am unable to gather this mass confusion of clutter inside my mind.... He stops to pause, and looks at me with no differing expression in his eyes. My eyes are locked on his, and I can't seem to look away.

Suddenly, the dam breaks, and I shed some dark gems...

...of happiness. This strange emotion is odd, but it's...nice -- a flood of tingling and ecstasy, or maybe I'm going insane? Something is unveiled inside me, and I find he was right. I do 'have interest' now. It's so foreign, but welcome. It's bizarre that I used to hate this tingle of his fingers over my skin... maybe the thing that broke... helped me realize what the world truly is.

And I knew in an instant... that I would not capture him for that fool Koenma. I would stay with him... forever.

~*~

Koenma eyes me critically. "Are you sure you don't want to capture him? You're in the perfect position, you have his trust and all that...."

"In all this world, I've finally found one that would not betray me, and I shall do the same to him," I say simply.

Koenma sighs and fingers one of my black Koorime gems. I narrow my eyes. MINE! "Did you forget this?" He waves to the screen behind me.

*flashback*

"What do you want?" Hiei demanded, rising and unsheathing his katana. "Answer me!" He swung the katana at Karasu, but Karasu casually blurred behind him.

"Don't try to play tough. I know plenty well that you're greatly weakened," he said in the same, smooth tone of voice. Hiei growled slightly and looks off to the sea. Hiei tensed his legs and leaned forward. Karasu stroked his neck, and Hiei froze. "Do you really think I'm just going to let a pretty Koorime like you just run off into the horizon?"

Hiei flinched. "Get... your fingers... off of me!" Hiei closed his eyes, gritting his teeth and tried to ignore the world.

"You like it."

Hiei growled more and seemed to relax. "Not my mind."

"And your heart?"

"It's stone cold and untouchable.

"Liar," Karasu said softly, trailing his fingers down Hiei's back. Hiei's eyes shed some tears and showed signs of inner conflict before they completely glazed over. "I see," Karasu murmurs. Hiei doesn't reply, just let a few more Koorime tears drop. "You truly have no interest. But you will." Karasu walks away, leaving Hiei to fall to the floor with a cross between a whimper and a growl.

*end flashback*

I catch myself holding my breath. I thought I didn't like it... but that last voice, 'A fiery Youkai thief... sealed behind human morals,' does that mean Karasu? Am I truly meant to be with him? This isn't a conspiracy of the dead... it's a conspiracy of the world. I'm more confused than ever. "Leave me alone Koenma. I made my decision already."

He sighs and wistfully stares off into space. "Then you'll just have to cope with what'll predictably happen." I know what'll happen...

...I'll finally experience true paradise.

*~*~*TBC

[1] I think that's what it's called... I might be wrong....

[2] Japanese for "Karasu and company."

[3] *sweatdrops* this reminds me of my poems. Too deep to understand. But don't worry, Hiei'll explain it for you much, much later in the fic. And the 'break' thing right after it is Hiei subconsciously 'getting away from the force.'

[4] See Tat? I don't lie! ^_^ Hiei IS trapped on this island until chapter 5 or so!

*~*~*

Endnote: *sighs* I'm not so sure about this one. It's sort of a fill-in chapter, so it's not as good as the previous chapter. Oh, and before you flame me for Karasu/Hiei, let me just say it's a very cleverly-disguised plot device. ^^ The real pairing's actually Kurama/Hiei... oh, and if you read over this chapter a tad bit more carefully (and chapter 3) then you'll catch hints of what's going to happen!

Oh yeah, and one of my reviewers left me a really good Hiei website. I read the thing over a few times, and I think, unless I make up some more excuses, this is too AU for its own good. *sweatdrops* *sighs* Be prepared for more filler-chapters.... Oh, and for... a certain reviewer, I checked out your bio, and it said you didn't like Botan/Koenma. *shrugs* It's not going to be major, but there will be some hints of that. Just Botan flirting, though. Nothin' much. But I personally think it's very cute. ^_^ And Vampire-person, yeah, I understand now.

Oh, and does anyone ever pay attention to these little skits down here?!

Hiei: they better be, or I demand a raise! IN SWEET SNOW!

Botan: and I haven't done anything except stand around since the first chapter!

Yukina: and I'm not supposed to know Hiei's my brother!

R Amythest: *points to Hiei* no raise for hyper-boy, *points to Botan* you'll get a HUGE part after chapter 6, *points to Yukina* um... Kuwabara told you!

Yukina: *coughs* Hiei never MET Kuwabara before episode 8.

R Amythest: *sweatdrops* okay, then Yusuke told you.

Yukina: Yusuke doesn't know, either.

R Amythest: *growls* THEN KOENMA DID!

Botan: O_O" CHAPTER SIX?! *whacks me with the oar* I'm taking a vacation! *flies off*

R Amythest: *rubs spot where Botan whacked me* doesn't anyone wuv me?!

Kurama: -_- please, Hiei, restore her ego so we can get on with it all!

Hiei: *stuffing frozen goods down his throat* CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE DOUGH!

Kurama: -_-;;

Koenma: if you review, then maybe we can get Botan-chan to come back. *hopeful*