AN: Hey everyone! Youko-chan here! I'm happy to say that we're now onto the 12th chapter of Hikari! I never thought I'd keep this fic going this long, but sure enough, here we are! I hope you all liked that last chapter. Sorry if it was exessively violent, but I was trying to make a point. Anyway, onto the fic!

Disclaimer: How I wish I did own YuYu Hakusho....but go figure, I don't.

Looking Back

Amarelle's Pov

The red haired demon I had come to like so much walked back through the door. I grieved that Jaki was gone now and I could see how much it pained Kurama. He seemed so kind and gentle that something like that would simply tear him apart. Yet he did not cry and soon he had regained his composure. I only hoped the other people around would not tell the Lord about what happened. If we were attacked now, we'd surely be defeated...

Kurama's Pov

I raised my eyes to see Amarelle's gaze resting on my face. I gave her a reasuring smile and her look of concern seemed to vanish. That smile...it was not truthful in any way. To see a child be killed for sport was hardly something to dismiss so easily. But besides that, there were other issues at hand now. What if the towns people were to report something to their leader? We would be given up. And if not, where did we go from here? Surely it would be too risky to send informants back and forth now. But on the other hand, we could not move the resistance to our territory, it would defeat the purpose.

I sighed and rested my face on my palm. What were we going to do? I suddenly turned when I heard Hiei and Dominique reenter the bar.

"Kurama, it's almost midnight. We've found what we need to know. We should head back for now and return when it's safer."

"Hiei, we simply can't. There is much more we need to do, we--"

"Kurama, it's too dangerous for you to stay here now. Wait here and you may put the whole faction at risk. Return to Shiri and tell him that I shall always serve our true Lord. I will personally pay you a visit when things have settled." Dominique stood surely by his words.

"And if the war was to begin? What are we to do?"

"You needn't worry about that. You could say I have a way with persuasion..." The icy demon grinned knowingly. I was curious what ventures he may have had before.

"Alright then. We'll head back to Seria. We will await your arrival soon." Dominique nodded and with that, I reluctantly left the bar with Hiei just behind.

Hiei's Pov

I glanced around and saw that there was no one left in the streets. The air hung silent and stale. I felt that we had to get out fast, that our lives would depend on it. Kurama must have sensed this to for he dashed off towards the forest, racing as fast as his legs would carry him. I easily caught up to him and turned a questioning glance.

"You think that the ferryman will be waiting for us?"

"That's right...Shiri never said anything about a pick up. Hm...how are we to cross the river for say he isn't there?"

"Lets just hope that's not the case..."

We traveled lightly on the brush this time, having cleared a bit of a path. As we reached the water I breathed a sigh of relief to see that ferryman waiting in his boat, his hat tipped over his face.

"Kashiro! Wake up! We need to get out of here as quick as we can!" I yelled in a hushed tone. "Kashiro?"

I walked over to him. His hands were laying beside him.....limp. I looked more closely to see a broken-shafted arrow pinned in his chest, straight through his heart. The same type of arrow that nearly killed Kurama.

"Dammit..." I cursed. I hadn't even known the man but for the short ride across the river but now I find myself grieving so heavily over him. It was almost eerie, the whole feeling of everything...

Kurama walked alongside me, taking the wheel firmly in his grasp. "I watched him earlier. I don't think it will be too difficult to run."

The fox began to mess with something on a small panel next to him. I heard the quiet hiss of steam as the boat began to move. Kurama skillfully edged the vessel from the shore and back across the river. After he seemed to get the full idea of how to work it, he looked at me.

"Hiei, are you alright? You've been silent ever since you....saw him."

"It's nothing Kurama."

The fox didn't seem convinced. It was as if he could always tell when there was something on my mind. In a way, it was kind of nice that he cared so much when I showed him no kindness in return. But I made a vow to myself. I would try just a little harder than before. Maybe now was the time.

"I just....I don't know. Seeing him dead, it bothered me...It's not the first time I've seen someone dead, but him....It doesn't sit right with me."

It felt good to tell him how I felt, but it was hard. Hard for me to admit I felt sorry for someone and hard for me just to talk to Kurama...

"It's alright, Hiei. There's nothing wrong with feeling grief over someone's loss. It's good to know that you care..."

We stood silent. I finally began to see the shore not far away. Soon we would be back with everyone. Yusuke, Kuwabara and the Squirt...In a way I wished I'd just have a little more time with Kurama. Just some time to sit and to think and to talk. But now that would be lost...

Yusuke's Pov

"Where are they?!" I paced nervously back and forth. It was past midnight! Were they in trouble? What the hell was going on?!

"Yusuke, will you just calm down! You're making us both a nervous wreck!" Shiri shouted back as he stood. Kuwabara looked like he was about to jump up and start something too. "And besides! They said they would return about midnight! They never said right at midnight!"

"I don't care! They should have been here! I swear, if they got in some sort of trouble, it's--"

I spun around to see two dark figures in the doorway. Sure enough it was Hiei and Kurama.

"About time you two showed up! I was gettin' worried!" I ran over to them. They both had very serious expressions. "Hey guys....what's up?" Kurama narrowed his eyes.

"We can talk in the morning. I think I need to get some rest Yusuke."

"Feel free to take any room you want everyone, there's plenty of...space..." Shiri's words trailed off as Kurama silently left us.

I felt akward and decided to head off to a room myself. Kuwabara did the same, and Shiri began to leave to his. Hiei followed right behind him. That's strange...I shook my head and shut my door.

Shiri's Pov

Something must have happened while they were there. Kurama seemed distant about it and Hiei...his expression was not one that I had seen before...

I opened my door and stopped as I noticed a shadow not much taller than mine upon the floor. I turned to see Hiei standing behind me.

"Is there something you need, Hiei?"

"Hn. I was just thinking....about asking you something Squirt."

He....had called me that name. No one knew about that nick name but my father. He had always called me that when I was little, most likely because of my small size. But how could Hiei have known? Perhaps it was only a lucky guess. But, then, there was just something about it...

"Very well. Care to sit down and talk?" I walked into my room and sat comfortably on my bed. Hiei sat the chair next to my closet. "Now, what was it you wanted to know?"

His gaze drifted lazily around the room, as if he were trying to pick out something. "The room you gave me upstairs...How, how did you know about that?"

"It's funny that you mention that. Someone told me a story about a fire apparition when I was very little. All I could remember was that it was a very sad story and something to do with ice. And when I had the rooms prepared, I guess you just reminded me of it..."

"You don't...remember anything specific...about the story?"

"No, not really I'm afraid." I paused. Hiei seemed to have more to say, but acted as if he didn't want to say it. "Why do you ask Hiei? I was thinking you didn't like me or something, but now, now you seem different."

"Hn. I was just remembering. Not long after I left…home, I was walking somewhere. I don't really remember much though. But, somehow this place reminds me of that memory, whatever it is..."

I watched Hiei rise from his seat. He was about to leave when he turned and gave me a faint smile. "Good night, Squirt..."

Kurama's Pov

I could faintly hear voices coming from Shiri's room. It sounded like him and Hiei were having some sort of conversation. I hoped he wasn't arguing with the boy again. He seemed to like to pick on the child, but that was Hiei for you.

I heard a door shut and what must have been Hiei's footsteps. I closed my eyes and rested my head on the pillow. The footsteps stopped right outside my door. I could hear the door gently open and forced myself to keep my eyes closed. After a moment of silence the footsteps came closer, stopped beside the bed. After a minute I was beginning to wonder if I was only imagining things. But then a hand gently touched my face and I heard Hiei whisper something I couldn't understand. Then the footsteps retreated and the door closed.

I sat up in bed, trying to figure out what had just happened. It seemed that Hiei had changed in the last couple of days. There was something about him. He was acting so much kinder than before, but why?

A child, sitting in someone's lap. Small. He was much too small looking. Weak. For sure this child was going to grow to be weak. I didn't like it. Why did he waste so much of his time on someone so small? His son maybe? Perhaps. The child cried. I merely huffed. I swear I didn't like it. The father smiled, asking me if I wanted to hold him. I huffed again and found that the child was being forced onto my lap. He cried and I glared at it. I hated this little wretch. It looked up at me with tears in it's eyes and cried out louder. The father smiled at me. I glared at him too but decided to wrap my arms around the child. 'Stupid Squirt.' I had said. My words made him cry shrilly again. I pulled him into a tighter embrace. 'Stop crying. Stop being so weak.' It made no difference. The boy was obviously determined to be nothing.

He ran, clumsily. The father looked on as he ran with other children his age. He was nothing but a little runt among them. I watched as he tripped over his own feet. The other children laughed at him. Empathy...such an emotion I am not so familiar with now. I saw myself, walking, walking towards the boy. 'Get up Squirt.' The boy jumped up and clung to me. I scowled at him, but reassuringly placed on hand on his head.

The little boy ran up to me. I heard him say my name. He now stood not much shorter than I did. 'Who's the Squirt now?' I heard a voice say. A laugh, a smile. Another hand placed on that same head, rubbing the hair to mess it up. Another annoyed look from the boy that turned to a grin. It couldn't be me that I saw. I never remembered having been happy like that. And the boy's face...it was never clear. But it was familiar.

Cries. Shouts. Screams of pain and agony. A tall, broken figure falling. A panicked cry, no, two panicked cries. Then something dark, then blood, and nothing...