Author's Notes: I dedicate this chapter to nekojita-san to whom I promised it before the new year. *wolfy glompies*

Raven's Pendant
WEIß KREUZ - YU YU HAKUSHO FANFICTION

Part 11 - Ever Present

In a torn up living room, a dark scaly figure walked about contemplating the carnage. There sat in one corner was a forgotten Makai plant that he didn't approach knowing that it would only try to eat him.

"Sssoooo, Sarisk and the rest failed." Another figure said as he came in the ruined room.

"Yesss, he did."

"There's no way to save this failure."

"Don't be too sure, I hear from my sources that the younger child of the line is showing promise. We can't summon the Lord anymore but we can have a Cei Lord back to rule our clan and lead us to greatness, if we play this right."

"What do you mean?"

"We can offer ourselves to the Fox Reborn, his present body is of the Cei clan."

"That'ssss a good a plan as any."

Both reptiloids disappeared from the room.

***

"Is Naoe still moving?" Aya asked as he sat in the couch. A frown of concentration knitted its way on his forehead.

Ostensibly, Aya, Botan and Hiei had gone back to Genkai's temple to coordinate the movements of the humans who were using youkai detectors. Ostensibly that is. Aya knew who was going to find Crawford and Kurama-chan. He had seen it in a vision.

The problem is...Naoe's loyalty is still on the doubtful side...though I don't know how he could be so loyal to Crawford when the man was planning to abandon him along with the rest of Schwartz…

: He resents the death of that blue haired girl from Schrieint. : Hiei replied to the unspoken thought.

: I wish you wouldn't do that. : Aya complained.

Isn't anything private anymore…?

: You think loudly, besides your mate is a telepath. You should become used to this. Aside from the fact that most youkai have strong telepathic gifts. You need to get more training there. When we have time…: It wasn't the least bit apologetic.

Aya glared at the fire demon and Hiei glared back. They were at it for a few seconds. However, Aya conceded at the end.

: I suppose I do have to get used to it… : Aya said grudgingly.

: Hn. :

"Aa…" Aya nearly winced as their silent conversation was interrupted by a boisterous female voice.

"Aa, but is this necessary, Aya-san. I mean suspecting Nagi-san is one thing but to keep a spirit tracer on him. Could we have just talked him into our side?" Botan babbled again.

"It is necessary." Aya said, grimly. He wished he had Schuldig with him. The telepath was the most familiar with Naoe and Crawford but that would have made it suspicious for the German to be left behind. He didn't even broach the topic with anyone but Botan until the humans had been underway and only using Schuldig to relay the concern telepathically.

"If you say so."

"There he's stopped. Should we...?"

"No not yet, we're not going to interfere at this point." Aya said, as he let himself drift into a light trance, feeling the lines of probability.

No, not yet...

"Why?" Botan asked.

"Because we need to make sure that Crawford doesn't get a vision."

"Ah." Hiei murmured. Hiei at least grasped the basics of the situation and didn't press at all. Aya was beginning to like the small demon more and more. The fire youkai, at least, was showing commendable restraint considering that he was the one with the most to lose if the bat managed to take Kurama away from them.

Well, let's make sure that doesn't happen...then... Now, I just hope that no one finds any other youkai to complicate matters… As if it wasn't any more complicated that it can be… I have yet to deal with what's between Schuldig and I… It had to wait upon this…

It had occurred to him before as he watched the briefing the godling of Death, that Koenma briefed them on the situation.

***

Ran watched the taped Koenma with his usual impassivity but inside he was elated. At long last, they were going after Kurama and that "idiot bat". He didn't like the man at all. Besides being the asshole leader of Schwartz, the Chimera had every intention to take his little Kurama-chan away from him.

At least Hiei's willing to share...it's not as if we have the same spot in Kurama's heart but he's being totally selfish about it... The jerk didn't even asked.

Crawford just absconded with Kurama without so much as by your leave.

I know he thinks us a danger but then what does he think of Kurama-chan? A toy? He just manipulated him so that they can be together... How long could that "love" last? It's not real...

He was firmly on Hiei's side on that point. He rather liked that taciturn fire demon that was so like him in many ways down to the protectiveness. Though he wasn't sure he could really trust the runt to have Kurama's best interests at heart, if those interests weren't aligned with his own interests. The fire demon still didn't answer his question, after all, but he felt he could trust the runt to help them hunt down Crawford.

They've been best friends since Kurama-chan was a child in this lifetime...they know each other and must care for each other dearly enough... It might be a moot point... It may be that my otouto's best interests lie with staying with him anyway...

He mused until he noticed that Schuldig was looking at him with a speculative glance.

That is another problem...

He sighed. He finally managed to transform into his human form but he was very much aware that he wasn't human. His powers wouldn't let him forget for one more moment that he was. He was youkai and all probability will outlive the German by a goodly number of years.

Some factors made it a rather impractical proposition... Demons get demon enemies. Demons must live in the Makai, unless I want to be the Reikai's lackey for decades and that would cause more demons to hate me. Schuldig is human--he can't fight demons too well... I'm not even sure I've forgiven him for serving Takatori yet…

"Ran, we have to talk." Schuldig said.

I don't need this right now...

He was already anxious about their future as it is.

That might be the feeling that's blocking my perception of events to come...

He knit his forehead as he tried to see the things that were the edge of his perception.

He wanted so much to see the futures, wanted to see how they were going to get Kurama-chan back. He wanted it so much that he had asked Hiei about it but all he had gotten was "It'll only come back when you're ready to deal with it".

What's wrong with now? I've managed to transform into my human shape. My elemental powers are under my control. What else is there?

: I put a seal on your abilities. It'll just take a while for you to wear it down. Be patient and concentrate. Now go answer the human, he's getting worried about you. :

: Hiei! :

Ran glared across the room to where the nosy fire demon. Hiei was already going out of the room with lightning speed. He wasn't the socializing type either.

: Ch. I don't like humans. :

What has that got to do with it?

He waved away his puzzlement and turned to Schuldig.

"Maybe it should wait until we've found Kurama-chan."

"It's not like that. Well, I know we also have to talk about that but not now. It's something that you need to know, right now. Let's go out to a restaurant, ne?"

"Hai." It was all he could say. The relief was almost too much to bear. He went back to concentrating.

I wonder if I could actually control it this time...

Then something nudged at the edges of his mind. It felt similar to the time when he dangled his toes in an indoor swimming pool, insistent liquid warmth lapping at his consciousness. He dipped into it with eagerness letting it come in slowly. He sorted through them letting the warmth tell him where to go.

A white fox-man, that's Kurama, and a black bat winged guy...that must be Crawford...they were sitting around in a small living room talking to Nagi. Where are we in this picture? Nowhere...

The first vision a lukewarm afterimage in his mind when the next came...and next…

Kurama, Crawford and the rest of them in the same apartment arguing... then the scene dissolved...

Kurama transforming into his Cei form, all fiery feathers and wings, very surprised...

"It was a vision, wasn't it?" Schuldig asked as the world returned like sand from underneath the sweep of warm water.

"Aa, several futures. Could we discuss it in a restaurant?"

"Hai, that would be best." Schuldig replied.

I guess it's a good thing that he'd have experience with precogs…

***

Schuldig looked at the youkai tracker impatiently as he pulled over the curb to get his bearings. The streets of Tokyo were some of the most confusing in the world and his assigned sector was in one of the more unfamiliar parts of town. He needed ever so often to stop and use his Telepathy to get around. To top it off, the needle was stubbornly remaining within the null range.

Damned! Though I should know better than to doubt a precog's visions… I had hoped that we might get lucky this time…

The German wanted more than anything that Schwartz would come out of this trial relatively unscathed. Though the he grumbled about the Schwartz team dynamics and being forced to work in the team, he had been in the team for more than five years. He was forced to admit that they were mainly good years. While the team did have their share of fuck-ups, they got along somehow.

A bunch of misfits…but my bunch…

Schuldig conceded that the half of the resentment he had felt when Crawford had decided to abscond with Kurama was due to the implied abandonment of the action. Despite Crawford's perennial asshole behavior, Schuldig thought him a part of Schwartz.

I suppose we're kind of like screwed up family like the Addamses or something…

The team was about to get another wrench if Aya's visions were correct. Schuldig remembered…

***

The thief rushed, a silver blur, at the monitor. Then he disappeared into a burst of white static that blacked into nothingness.

Ah, what is it about the good guys always trying to use video as a medium for communicating with their subordinates…?

It was a lazy Saturday morning and Schuldig was sitting at the Kuwabara household's living room watching a tape that only the psychically gifted could see.

The one who said that truth was stranger than fiction had it right…this is weirder than snake boots…

"This was taken at the robbery at the Tokyo Museum, several days ago."

"Hey, that's when the Daiquiri Diamond was stolen…it was all over the papers. There's a hefty reward for its return." The brown-haired chick, Shizuru, said.

"Several old statues were taken as well as the large diamond was stolen. There is no doubt as to whom pulled the heist. The security cameras didn't pick up a thing. This picture came from one of ours. We have suspected some other heists by the now resurrected the Raven and the Fox team but this is the first one we have any evidence of them." Koenma continued.

"From the items taken, they are evidently trying to make a Gate to get them back to the Makai. They've taken items of spiritual power that they need those to break through the kekkai between worlds. From what we see, they still need at least one more for it to work. We have appraised the area and found several items of power that would fit their needs nicely such as an amulet from a Shinto statue in Ueno[1] and several other items. It would be too much for us to cover them all. So, you have to catch them instead." The godling paused to let the implications set in.

As if we needed to be reminded…

Schuldig fought to contain a snort. He had been sensing the tension and the worry in the room since this whole sorry episode started. It made him tetchy.

"There is no need for me to tell you how urgent it is to keep them from escaping into the Makai. Despite, how the Demon World had changed these past millennia, they are still the best. You'll never find them there." The videotaped Koenma disappeared as he finished the sentence.

At least the baby-god didn't have any corny lines… White Hunters hunt Dark Beasts now… Ugh!

Schuldig wondered how could Persia of Kritiker ever spout such tripe.

Koenma-sama gets points for maturity…

"Yada, yada. How do we go about looking for them?" Schuldig said. He was rather bored and impatient to get on with it.

"By combing the city with these, they're youkai detectors." Botan sailed in the window, making everyone jump a little by her appearance. They had thought she had left after giving the tape.

"Only the humans of course...they'll go wild if a youkai handled them." Botan continued. "Both Kurama-san and Crawford-san can't act freely inside the city. As long as they do not spot you, you should be okay."

"Great, we're going to be stalking horses...this isn't better than Estet, you know." Schuldig grumbled though not very hard.

The training was strenuous and interesting but the German telepath felt impatience at it all, wanting to get more progress. Not that everyone was as enthusiastic as he was about this turn of events, he watched Nagi at the corner of his eye. He wondered if he should warn the others about the telekinetic. The kid typically kept his opinion to himself but the telepath knew the look in those eyes. Crawford had been like a father figure for the young telekinetic. It had been quite a shock for the kid that Oracle would just go and pick up his selfish ass and abscond with Kurama at the very first opportunity. He'd even protested but the evidence was undeniable.

He might try to warn Crawford and Kurama, at worst, or not report them in, at best...

"Let's start after lunch? I'm sure all of you are hungry." Shizuru asked.

There were no objections.

"Nagi-kun, you can eat with us. Schuldig-san? Ran-san?"

Both the older assassins refused.

Nagi nodded his grave assent and that gave Schuldig an unreadable glance.

Aa, this is the perfect opportunity…

***

Aya and Schuldig found a small out-of-the-way corner in a quiet little ramen restaurant and set out to order their lunch.

"How far do you think we can trust Nagi?" Ran said as the waitress went off with their orders.

"Not very, it was in your vision I take it." Schuldig replied. He fought not to stare into Aya's worried eyes. They looked quite well today especially with the emerald green sweater Aya had worn today.

They're lovely though not as exotic as when they are when he was Cei…what am I thinking?

The telepath had been observing the other redhead ever since Aya had gotten back to looking human. He would never take for granted Aya and though he did admire the sleek Cei 's exoticness, he'd rather have the familiarity the human form brought.

Stop that, that's not what you came here to talk about remember…

Schuldig had to jerk his mind sideways back to the topic at hand.

"Hai. So you have your doubts about his loyalty, too?" Schuldig said after a moment.

"That's what I need to talk to you about. The kid's been with us for a long time. Crawford's been like a father to him."

"So he'll betray us to him."

"Since you've seen it, yes."

"I think we have better chance of finding them if we let Nagi do the honors."

Wait a moment...wouldn't that? Oh I see, we have a precog on the other side...and damned it, Crawford, for all he is a prick, is damned efficient with his visions... We need to blindside him... Make him think he's going to get away...

"Are you thinking, what I'm thinking?" Schuldig asked, projecting the thought so that spying precogs wouldn't be able to see what they were planning.

It's bad enough that he might anticipate or see what we're about to do...

"Aa."

That sounds like a good a plan as any." Schuldig said, staring into those purple eyes. Now that problem was out of the way, he found himself caught again.

It seemed that Aya had nothing to say to that either. They stared at each other until the waitress brought their orders. Schuldig fought the impulse to try and feed Aya some of the food. [2]

Fuck, you're behaving like you're a teener in love... Now that would be extremely cute...and unwelcome...

***

Schuldig smiled at the memory. He knew that he had to resolve the problem of Crawford, Kurama, and Schwartz had made before he could resolve what lay between Aya and him but it did intrude in the strangest moments.

It must mean something… Though a question is, would it be enough considering Aya's a youkai and I'm not? It's hard enough that we have all that Weiß-Schwartz history behind us…

He fairly itched with the suspense. It was very simple really. Aya was the first person he had felt that kind of interest for a long time.

Crawford is such a stick in the mud, besides being the leader of our quaint group. I can't see myself being involved with him... Nagi's the Kid and Farfie's fun but staying around him for extended periods would drive me nuts… Kurama-chan's a nice little brother but…that's all… Casual desire aside…I like him…

We'll just have to resolve this quickly…

Schuldig just hoped the fallout wouldn't be too severe.



***

A knock on the door made Yoko jump a little.

"Let the kid in, Yoko-chan. He's here to help us." Kuronue said as he flipped a lock and shifted into his human form as Yoko went for the door.

"Ah, Prodigy." 'Crawford' said, gesturing to the couch.

~TBC~

Author's Notes:

[1] A cameo appearance by either Seishirou or Subaru is in order? Nah, it's the only place I know offhand in Tokyo.

[2] Utter cuteness. ^^;;

So did anyone see Nagi coming?