A/N: I'm going to start the chapter now. More a/n will be at the end. ^^

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CHAPTER SEVEN: WHAT DOES EVERYTHING ALL MEAN?!

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Kurama slowly opened his eyes when the sun's bright rays splashed over his handsome face. He moaned as he tried to sit up on his bed; he still felt sleepy because of what had happened the previous night. The sun had woken him up from his slumber. The sheets that covered him, fell from his bare chest down to his stomach, but the rest of the blankets covered the rest of him. (A/N: Just try to imagine this in a non-hentai-ish way, please -_-;;) The blankets that surrounded him were of a dark red - almost like a bloody- red color. It was black like most vampires, nor was his king-sized bed a coffin. Kurama did not like the fact about sleeping in a coffin; he hated the idea because it's very uncomfortable to sleep in it, there is hardly any room to move around in and it is always so dark in it whenever the lid is placed above. Kurama thinks that he is the only vampire in the world who would actually look up at the night sky every evening before falling asleep. That's why he sleeps on a bed, not in a coffin.

The boy yawned and decided to get up from his bed. As he got up, his blankets had fallen down to the floor (a/n: he wore pajama pants only btw). He then walked to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

A few minutes later the vampire came out, he wore his school uniform pants but he didn't wear a shirt. Instead he held a white shirt over his shoulder. When he walked into his kitchen, he immediately stopped. He had a feeling that he wasn't the only one in the room. And he was right.

"Hiei, come out from where you're hiding. I've had enough of your childish games already!" he ordered.

"Hn," came a reply from what's left of the shadows. "It took you a while to finally figure out that I was here." Hiei walked into Kurama's view. "Why so long?"

Kurama ignored his question. "How long have you been here?"

The crimson-eyed vampire smirked then answered. "A while," he answered. "Actually I came in here just a few minutes before you came out of there," said Hiei as he pointed towards the bathroom. "I was out here, waiting the whole time."

Kurama narrowed his eyes. "Whatever," he said shortly. He walked to his refrigerator and opened it. Inside there wasn't much food or drinks in it - only a couple of sodas and other stuff. But there was a small stash of blood from a nearby hospital, kept it. He's not really fond of drinking the blood of a just killed person like Hiei does; it's hard to kill someone and then drink their blood on the spot. That's why he settled down for the medical blood packets from the hospital. Though, he would drink from a human sometimes when need be.

Instead of the blood, Kurama picked a soda to drink. "Want one?" he asked Hiei. He knew that the answer will be a "no" or a "hn". Kurama closed the fridge and walked to the dining table to discuss 'business' with Hiei. Hiei was already sitting on the chair at the opposite end of the table, away from Kurama.

"Why did you make us leave early?" Hiei asked all of a sudden. "If we hadn't left, we could've found those girls! But no! You said that it was enough for the night!"

Before he took a sip of the soda, Kurama answered the question given to him. "Because," he began, "it wasn't early. It was late."

"It wasn't late, it was 4 a.m.. That's early!" Hiei snapped. (a/n: ^_^; you can kinda tell that Hiei's whining about the time they had to leave.)

"No, it wasn't," Kurama replied simply. "And besides, I thought that we were here to discuss what we will be doing to find the Elementals."

The other vampire responded. "Another one of our group will be attending the school and in the same class as you. We would try other classrooms but more energy has been sensed in that room. So, another one of us will be with you. I suggested Karasu or Hagiri earlier this morning when I went to meet those two before I came here, but since I was the only one who suggested it, it was two against one. So instead of those two..." Hiei became quiet as if he was afraid to continue what he was going to say.

"Hmm? So who's going to be the one coming to school today?" Kurama said mockingly.

Hiei didn't answer until a few seconds had gone by. "Me."

"Heh."

The crimson-eyed one flashed a glare at the laughing Kurama. Kurama's small laughter died away and soon he became serious. "Anyway, I need to get ready for school," he said as he got up. "I suggest you to get a uniform."

"What? Why?"

"Because, you're going to school today. Our job would be done much quicker if you go. So get one," Kurama explained when he walked towards the bathroom.

"But -"

Kurama then closed the door before Hiei could finish his say.

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In Botan's home, everyone was getting ready for school as well. Everyone was in a hurry for everyone had overslept - except for Koenma. He had woken up early that morning but had forgotten to wake up his sister and her friends. Actually, he thought that they were already up because he had heard a loud thump coming from Botan's room. What he didn't know, was that the loud 'thump' was made by Botan, who by which had fallen off her bed and unto the floor, right beside her friends, who were also still asleep. So Koenma didn't know; you can't blame him, right?

Anyway, everyone else had overslept and are now in a hurry. When all were about to leave, Botan remained in her room, already dressed up and ready to go. She held her schoolbag closely and tightly to her chest. She was thinking about the dream she had during the middle of the night. If was vivid to her, so vivid to her that it seemed to be real. Her heart began to pound again and she looked down to her wrists. Around both of her wrists there was a faint red color. The dream that she had that night was more like a nightmare that caused her pain. She closed her eyes and tried to remember the nightmare...

--- Her arms were tied up above her head in a tight knot, she was tied up to a pipe line that had no way for the ropes to get out. She felt sleepy, as if she had been drugged, she couldn't keep her eyes open. "Uhh..." she said slowly, "where... am I....?"

"I see that you're finally awake, Botan, or should I say 'Elemental Witch of the Wind?'" someone asked within the dark that surrounded her. The speaker was a man.

Botan didn't answer him.

"Hmm..." the speaker walked closer to Botan until he was right in front of her face. She still couldn't see his face clearly for since she was sleepy, her vision has been blurred. "Elemental Witch of the Wind! Tell me where the other three witches are or I will destroy you!" he commanded.

"No!" she spat at him.

After she had answered him, she was slapped by the one who had ordered her, her face turning to the side. He then grabbed her chin and turned her face towards him. "If I ask you nicely, will you tell me then?"

Botan remained silent, an angry expression written over her face. "I will never tell you where they are. I would rather die first than to see them in your hands," she said seriously.

"Fine then," he answered back. "I guess I'll have to do this the hard way then. Kurama!"

'What?' Botan said to herself. 'Kurama?'

'Botan,' a familiar voice called out to her in her mind.

'Huh? Who is this? Kurama?'

'Botan,' he repeated. 'Don't worry about me. I'll be alright,' he assured her. 'I'm only coming because he had called me. I'm not going to do anything stupid.'

'Why? What're you going to do?' she asked. She then saw the one who ordered her to tell her where the other witches were go near the door that separated her and Kurama. He had a large knife, almost like a sword in his hands, ready to kill what passed through that door. He had a grin painted across his lips. By this, Botan knew what he was going to do. She tried to loosen up the tight knot that bound her to the pipe line, her wrists began hurt with pain. "No!" she cried out. She began to cry, tears were falling down her cheeks. "No! Kurama! Kurama, DON'T! NO!!"

But Kurama didn't her screams call out to him. He opened the door and was soon stabbed through the heart. Kurama stood there, the knife in his chest and blood dripping down the cold metal. "Botan..." he said as he fell down to his knees, "I'm...sorry... He smiled; his face had then met the hard floor and no more was said.

"NOOO!!!" Botan cried. "KURAMA!!!"

An evil laughter had soon followed her cries. ------

"Botan!" Koenma called out from down stairs. Botan opened her eyes when she heard her name. "Botan! We have to go now!"

Quickly, she wiped her eyes, her wrists still stinging in pain. "Coming!" she yelled back. She then walked out of her door with the thoughts of Kurama and the nightmare she had, in her mind.

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"Kagome, are you read to leave now?" Sango asked her friend while she waited by the front door, holding Kirara in her arms.

"Yeah! I'll be there in a minute!" Kagome called back. She was fixing the bow on her uniform in front of a mirror. "There," she said to herself. "Done." The girl then ran to the front door. Kirara was waiting beside Sango's feet now. "Bye, Kirara! See you soon." Kagome and Sango left for school.

Along the first part of their trip to school, it was quiet. Neither of the girls spoke until Sango began to talk. "Kagome," she began, "what did you mean last night when you said that you'll kill the ones that had murdered Koaru?"

"Hmm? Oh that." Kagome remembered what Sango was talking about. "I said that I'll kill them."

"Yes, but how? You'll surely be arrested for doing so."

"I know. But then I'll be avenging her death and for her parents grief, right? It wouldn't matter anymore because her spirit will be at ease. And well -"

She paused what she was going to say when she saw Botan and her friends walking just a few yards away from them. Sango had noticed that Kagome had stopped speaking and saw that she was staring ahead at the group that walked ahead of the two. Sango knew the three girls but she didn't know who the tall boy with brown hair was. "Hmm," Sango said quietly to herself, "he looks very kawaii."

Kagome heard what Sango had just said and laughed within her head. Sango already had a boyfriend and that was Miroku, but as we all know it, he's a lech. Anyway, we also know that Miroku is very good looking and most girls like him, it's just that, well, he's gotten a bit 'odd' throughout the years - but Sango still loves him. A small smile appeared on Kagome's lips at the thought of Sango's relationship with Miroku. It's been a couple of years since those two have been a couple, but more than ten years as best friends.

Just at the thought of Miroku, a head popped in between the two girls' shoulders and arms hugged them together. "Good morning, ladies," Miroku greeted. "Fine morning we're having right now, aren't we?"

"Oh. Hey, Miroku," the two replied together at the same time. But when they had said this, it didn't sound as cheerful as it used to be before. It sounded a bit happy; however, Miroku began to think that something has gone wrong.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Have you heard the news yesterday?" Kagome asked the boy. "About what had happened to Koaru?"

"Huh? No, I haven't. I was out of town since last week until late last night, so I wasn't able to watch the news. I was in Okinawa, remember?" he replied. "Why? What happened yesterday?"

Kagome couldn't speak; the words that she to say to him were caught in her throat. So instead, Sango spoke in her place. "Yesterday, almost right after school, Koaru was murdered."

"What?"

"Koaru's body was found in that parking lot," she said as she pointed towards the parking lot that they were passing by. The lot was filled with crime investigators and yellow tape, and so many other stuff that involved a crime scene.

Miroku became very confused at what he has just been told. "What do you mean about 'Koaru's body was found in that parking lot?'"

"She was found dead. All of the blood in her body were drained out... Not even a single drop of blood could have been detected in her," Sango replied slowly.

"Oh..." Miroku silently said. He too has known Koaru since she was a little girl - well, actually, a couple of years ago when she was only eleven years old. Three years later, she's gone and he didn't even get to say a 'good-bye' to her for one last time. "Do they know who the murderers are?"

"No...They haven't," responded Sango. "But Kagome and I will find them."

Kagome heard that she won't be the only one going to find Koaru's murderers. She looked on ahead and saw that Botan and her group were a long way away from them. She then looked at the watch that was around her wrist. "Great!" she yelled out loud. "School's going to be starting soon," she said. "We have to hurry now."

With that, the three students fastened their pace.

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Kaede gazed into the fire of a darkened room. She watched it carefully, as if she was reading its flames, listening to what it was trying to say to her. "The promised time will soon come," she said quietly, "when the full moon begins to enter its first phase towards a new moon..." The first phase that she had spoken of, would be in just one more night. By then, the elements will come together.

The old woman sighed - she had just dropped Shippou off to school almost half-an-hour ago and she's worn out even though the school was only less than one block away from the shrine. "My time here in this world is almost up," she said to herself solemnly. "I have lived too long and 'tis about time that I have passed from this lifetime into the next. Shippou should be ready to be able to harness the powers that will come to him sooner or later..."

Kaede has been a priestess for as long as she can remember, ever since she was a small child. Five hundred years later, she is still one. She may be a priestess, who had been taught to destroy all evil demons and unearthly creatures, she is also a witch...

There are many types of witches throughout the world. However, the two main categories of witches, are the ones we would all know of: Good witches and of course, the evil witches. Kaede was raised as a witch that must fight off any evil that threatens to plague the Earth. She was also raised to guide the Elemental Witches towards the right path. Though, none of the Elementals have been found yet. But it'll be soon... Just one more night, as it has been told....

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Yusuke had watched Botan and her company enter through the school's front gates. He watched silently as he stood under a thick shade formed by a large tree. The other's hadn't noticed him standing there for they were all chattering happily. He looked longingly at Keiko, his childhood friend and love...Or is she? Yusuke had missed her so much after he had moved from Tokyo to Hokkaido. He was lonely all the time, he didn't have anybody to talk to...Until he had met another young man who goes by the name of Naraku. (a/n: don't worry, there won't be any yaoi-related things in here ((and don't you start getting any ideas animejx!)))

Naraku appeared to be Yusuke's age when he was thirteen, though he seemed to be very mature for his age. After those two have met, they had instantly become good friends.

Naraku had other friends as well during that time and Yusuke had met them after he had just met Naraku. Naraku though, looked suspicious and so does his friends - like as if they were part of an evil cult or something. Anyway, as the years had gone by, they had still remained as good friends. But before Yusuke to leave again, because he had to go back to Tokyo, Naraku had asked Yusuke to join this specific group that he runs - but Yusuke refused to join.

On the night before Yusuke had to go back to Tokyo, something had happened. When the boy was returning to his home, someone was following him. Yusuke was caught by surprise, more than one person had followed him, he tried to fight them off. But he didn't succeed. His eyes were covered and his hands were tied together. He was abducted.

Yusuke was missing throughout that whole night. Though his mother hadn't recognized his absence. When it was time to go to the airport early the next morning, Yusuke was standing right beside the taxi that was going to take them there. He was whistling and had dark sunglasses over his eyes. "Yusuke, what're you doing out here? You're supposed to be in the car now," his mother told him.

"Well hello, mother. Good morning to you too," he replied slyly.

"Yusuke, get your butt in the taxi right now or we're going to miss our flight," she warned.

"Fine," Yusuke murmured under his breath.

His mother had then noticed something very odd about her son. The sun was barely even up yet and he was wearing dark shades. Even though it was still dark, she had also noticed that the young boy's skin was a bit more paler than usual. "Yusuke," she said calmly, "is there anything wrong with you right now? Are you feeling well?" she asked as she fastened her seatbelt on. "You look a bit pale and -"

"I'm fine. I feel well," Yusuke interrupted. "There's nothing wrong with me, so leave me alone!"

Atsuko was surprised, this was the first time that Yusuke had ever spoken to her like this. "Are you sure?" she asked again.

"Yes!"

With this, Atsuko remained quiet during the whole ride toward the airport. She was worried about her baby.

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Yusuke headed towards the school for the bell was going to ring. He walked into his classroom and sat down in his desk. He had already seen Keiko sitting in her desk; when he was still walking to his seat, she looked up and smiled at him. 'Such a beautiful smile,' he thought when he saw her. 'Every time she smiles, she becomes more beautiful. Always like that when we were kids...' He smiled back and waved, not showing his teeth. Ever since he had moved from Hokkaido, he had still made contact with Naraku - but after that one night when he was abducted, his life has never been the same...

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A/N: SO HOW WAS IT? GOOD, BAD? SOMEWHAT? I don't know. It's your guys' opinion. Anyway, I apologize again for not updating any sooner. -_-. Well, I'm done for now, byes everyone and don't forget to review please! Oh and before I forget, thank you to all of those who reviewed the previous chaps and as for animejx's question about Kurama and Hiei, no, they didn't become one b/c if it did, then this will be a whole different fic. But don't tempt me to write one!

^____^

~KY