Thanks for the comments, minna-san…to Sroa Dwin, OOC means "Out of Character"…basically, I'm not in story mode anymore. To Dark-Autumn, I'd love to major in Creative Writing. Minor…err…I have no clue. ;; And…Melissa-chan…DnK gone Broadway? Do you REALLY want to hear Kuwabara sing? Once again, I love all reviews and those who make them. Last time…Buffy was one-upped by Muffin, the psychotic vampire slayer who had her sights set on Kuronue! Thankfully, Kaeru's mediating skills kicked in and yet another crisis was averted…however, one major one is about to begin.

Nakago: (who for some reason has dropped by to make me miserable) That was pathetic.

Kia: Hey, I'M the one writing here! Go back and molest Tamahome or something!

Nakago: Hmm…not a bad idea.

Kia: -.- Get out of this series.

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Kuronue chugged his bottle of Makai whiskey quite mercilessly, alone in front of Kurama's house.

"I can't believe Macho Bat had to be saved by a little girl!"

I can't believe it either, he thought sourly. I was on the run from a NINGEN and she was the one who had to save ME!

His grip on the bottle neck tightened abruptly. Unbidden, Zenkai's voice suddenly echoed mockingly in the depths of his troubled mind.

"You don't interfere with Zenkai."

But Kaeru had…even if Kuronue had barged in there with the intention of rescuing her…in the end, it had been the diminutive Ice Maiden who had saved the day.

"Damn it!" The pressure of his hold began to build up until the bottle shattered. Ignoring the light shower of glass and alcohol, Kuronue gazed at his hand, noting the trickle of blood from his action with detached interest.

"Am I…am I that weak…to have to be saved so many times… by a Koorime?" He whispered bitterly.

You're even weaker than that, Zenkai's voice replied, although the question had been rhetorical. You are a fool, chimera. How can you think to protect her when you can't even defend YOURSELF?

"Stop it!" Kuronue cried, clutching his head with both hands. "STOP!!"

Why? Because you know it to be true?

"STOP IT!"

-------

"Kurama…" Chitsuko looked up at the redhead, setting aside her textbook and folding her legs as she sat up straighter in her chair. "Does it seem to you that Kuronue's…been acting weird lately? I mean…he's been so tense all the time and he looks so upset…"

The Youko didn't look up from his own reading, although his thoughtful frown deepened. "He hasn't been able to win his own fights lately," he finally answered, emerald eyes roving over the page. "He's anxious that Zenkai hasn't shown up yet and at the same time…he's still conflicted with all these different emotions. Just so long as we let him have his space, he should snap out of it relatively quickly."

The golden-haired hanyou nodded in understanding…and then blinked, uncrossing her legs as she rose uncertainly. "Hey…have you seen Kaeru?"

A long pause. "No…but I have a bad feeling about this…"

------

Kuronue fell heavily to his knees, hands gripping the grass as he shook his head vehemently. "I'm not weak…I'm NOT!" Why wouldn't that damned voice leave him alone?

Easily toyed with…easily manipulated…easily KILLED.

A hand tapped his shoulder, almost tentatively. The chimera whirled, saw those cold crimson orbs, heard that low, sadistic chuckle…and snapped.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!" In an instant, his scythes were out, and ripping towards his hated foe. Surprisingly, Zenkai did not even attempt to block them as they struck…instead, he let out a choked cry of pain and slumped downwards…the black robes writhed, shifting into a blue kimono, a crimson spot slowly blossoming and darkening the fabric. The harsh eyes softened and filled with tears…and Kuronue realized, to his absolute horror, who he had just attacked.

Kaeru knelt, one hand clamped over her wound, those precious hiruiseki gems silently hitting the grass and rolling in opposite directions. "Kuronue…san…?" She sounded just as disbelieving as Kuronue felt. "Why…why did you…"

"Shimatta, Kaeru…" He reached for her, intending to help her into the house…but she flinched away from him, shaking her head wordlessly.

Somehow, both Chitsuko and Kurama had managed to sense something was amiss, and they hurried outside. The latter halted in his tracks, but the girl didn't falter, effortlessly scooping the shivering Koorime into her arms. Without a word to Kuronue, she ran back inside. Kurama watched her go…and then looked steadily at his former partner.

"What happened?"

The chimera couldn't speak.

-------

"There…lucky those scythes didn't go in too deep." Chitsuko finished bandaging her small friend, regarding her with a gentle stare. "So you're telling me Kuronue attacked you for apparently no reason at all?"

Kaeru nodded, stifling an inadvertent sob. "He…didn't…even seem to know…who I was," she recounted haltingly. "And he…looked so angry…"

The older girl nodded, allowing the Ice Maiden to hop off the bed. "I'll help you change the bandages tomorrow…just try not to do anything that would upset it…"

"H-hai! Arigato gozaimasu, Chitsuko-san!" Kaeru automatically bowed…and then winced.
"And that would be upsetting it," the hanyou informed her amusedly. The other nodded embarrassedly and headed for the living room…only to pause, having caught a snatch of conversation. Kuronue and Kurama were in there, arguing in low, but agitated voices.

"Kuronue, I know you're frustrated, but that's still no reason--"

"You didn't see that look she gave me…honestly, it was like she was afraid of me!"

A soft sigh was issued. "Honestly, what do you expect? You attacked her!"

"How was I supposed to know that she'd come sneaking up on me?? You know…" And his next words made Kaeru stiffen… "I'm getting sick and tired of always having to watch her…she's like this little kid who's too stupid to watch out for danger! What a pain…I only agreed to watch her to get at those gems of hers."

Kurama suddenly glanced over his friend's shoulder. An unknown emotion flashed in his eyes before he sighed once more. "You really must watch what you say…"

Suddenly feeling the heat of a pair of eyes boring into his back, Kuronue slowly turned. Kaeru was standing there, looking positively livid.

"Oh, SHIT."

"If…if I'm a pain…then go back!" Reaching into her kimono, Kaeru withdrew a sparkling hiruiseki stone on a thin chain from around her neck. Without warning, she hurled it at Kuronue. It bounced off his head and hit the floor and the Koorime continued. "If these are what you came for, then you can have them! Every…single…one! I don't care anymore!" She'd retrieved the ones from earlier and tossed them at him, before turning on her heel and running out.

She threw open the door, rushed outside…and collided with Hiken. The man caught her before she fell over.

"What's the hurry?" He asked, smiling genially at her. Then he caught sight of her expression and the smile slowly faded. "Kaeru, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing…"

Hiken watched her for a moment…and then he sighed, putting an arm around her. "Let's go for a walk and talk about it…" So the two Koorime set off…and, at that very instant, the phone in Kurama's house rang.

Kuronue grudgingly answered it. "What?"

"Kuro, it's Kia. Listen, don't let Kaeru leave the house! Kelsey and I both got this weird feeling and it seems Zenkai is around…"

"...She just left."

"WHAAAAAAAAT?!"

The youkai held the phone a good distance away from his ear. "I told you, she just left! She got mad and--"

"You IDIOT!"

"KURONUE!"

"Gaaaaaaaah!" He jumped about a foot in the air as he realized that Botan had just popped out of nowhere and was now urgently bouncing up and down.

"Kuronue, it's Hiken! He…he…he…"

"Yes, he's Kaeru's uncle, I know," he said shortly, hearing Kia yelling faintly from the phone he still held.

The ferrygirl, still holding her oar, suddenly smacked him hard with it.

Kuronue let out a yelp, rubbing his head frantically. "Baka onna, what the HELL--"

"ZENKAI IS KAERU'S UNCLE! HIKEN IS ZENKAI! Where's Kaeru?!"

"HE LET HER GO!" Kia shouted, recognizing Botan's voice.

"He WHAT?!"

"ZENKAI'S WHAT??!?" Kuronue suddenly slammed the phone down and raced out of the door, calling over his shoulder, "tell the others!"

Botan gaped at him. "Where are you going?!"

"To save her ass!" The door slammed shut, and Botan groaned wearily.

"Why do I always get stuck with these assignments?"

-OOC-

That can't be good…didn't Kaeru just stroll off with Hiken? O.o And honestly, how many of you saw that coming? Please review while I beat the crap out of Nakago and…NEXT chapter!

- Hiken…err…Zenkai attacks! Can Kaeru snap out of her shock long enough to fight back?

- Kuronue shows up to save the day…only things backfire, and guess who gets himself captured? A new ally shows up and Hiei's lessons may have paid off!

- Why you should never tell Suzaku that his former charge is in a duel with a Koorime killer…