A/n: It's really short, I know. I'm really sorry. I'll do better next episode. I swear. Plus, the guys 'll be meeting old friends in the next episode. Actually, next episode's quite the romantic one.

::CHAPTER 8::

Before you knew it, you were taking one step inside a huge terrifying portal leading to another frightening scene—well, at least for you it is.

Koenma, with two stern-looking male soldiers (sort-of) behind him, stood watching you, Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, your best friend, Keiko and Botan leave for Makai. He had ordered these two Rei Kai—or the Spirit world—soldiers to open this portal with no fair reason at all for the Rei kai to. It was more of a guilt trip for Koenma.

You looked back as if looking for an escape for this. A few hours ago, you knew you had freaked Kurama out when you looked at him so pleadingly. You were pretending to be so involved in your book—and not to get others wrong, you were!—it was just that you were so…troubled…by all this. When you looked at Kurama when he touched you, it was to plead him to tell you it was all right. Let him comfort you that they won't let anything wrong happen.

Kurama never does.

You were strangely very troubled about learning about your family and you wanted to choke yourself why. It was so stupid. You fear—that even though you know your parents are gone—you still fear how if they wouldn't want you. How if they weren't contented with you and what you made out of your life they had given to you. You know that even though the guys don't even say a word about your job as an assassin, they still don't like it. How could anyone accept an assassin, a person who kills another person who lives and breathes just like him or her? How if your parents don't like it too? It was very possible. Even though they aren't here—how if they despise you and hate you that you were ever from them?

Suddenly, light shone through the portal and then you were in Makai. You shielded your eyes against the blinding radiance of the sun. You looked around and felt the air different from the aura of the of the Ningenkai world.

"We're here," Yusuke said quietly …and quite sadly. It confused you why.

You simply nodded as your head turned everywhere observing everything around you, taking in every little detail of the first place you've stepped into.

Kurama took one look at you and he knew you didn't want to talk. You were too busy looking everywhere and taking in everything to talk. The last time you were here, you were too involved in another secret to notice the surroundings—although the moment by the river with Kurama as a fox was quite memorable.

Kurama smiled inside and then turned to Yusuke. "Yusuke, I asked a place where we could stay."

"What did you that for? We could just stay anywhere. Like in the forest or something," Yusuke smiled ludicrously at Kurama.

"Yeah but, won't you want to…you know, be more comfortable." Kurama raised his shoulders. "I mean, Keiko, and her and your best friend's nameand…I just think maybe, you know…" Kurama proved his point well although he didn't push it to Yusuke too much. He didn't want to be acting like such a know-it-all

"If you really want comfort, we could always go to…" Yusuke had a devious smile on his face. He looked like someone with an evil plan.

"Yusuke…?" You all wondered what he thought.

--

You arrived at a huge castle of white cement. The place was a desert and it looked somewhat gloomy. "What is this place?" You dismounted from the man who carried you on his back. The guy wore a uniform same as his other two companions. Not to mention they were also all bald.

"Yep, this is it!" Yusuke had a huge cocky grin on his face.

Is this the place he was talking about? Is this his father's castle, you thought to yourself. You mean your father's castle.

Awhile ago, Yusuke had told you that the portal had landed you to a place near enough to the castle; it would only take at least a five-hour-run to reach it. Well, as long as you could run as fast as they can. You had watched incredulously as the view all around you seemed like wet paint while carried on the back of that weird man. You stared amazed at Kurama as he ran ahead of you, not seeming to be at least in his full effort in speed. People told you, you had light feet and you could run as fast as any unsurpassed samurai could (A/n: I'm thinking she's as fast as Kenshin. I mean, you run as fast as Kenshin.). But if they saw them, well…you just might lose some of your clients.

"This is Yusuke's castle?" You heard Keiko suddenly speak.

Of course. This was where her "boyfriend" stayed while she had been miserable and lonely. You looked at her feeling a little tease growing. You just wanted to taunt the look on her face right now. But as much as you wanted to, your face is unable to show the emotions you wanted. The muscles on your face never learned to make a tease. You were never used to the notion of it at all.

Yusuke never heard Keiko, though. He suddenly jumped through stone by stone and left for the great white castle.

"Take me there." You faced Kurama sternly. You could jump high grounds, twist your body to tall places and do marvelous deeds but you didn't have the training to jump a mile long gap of soil ground like Yusuke or the others did.

"I'll be glad to." Kurama smiled. It seemed that Kurama still had his charm anywhere he went.

You blushed at what he just said. You blush at everything he says!, you thought angrily at yourself. Awkward, you let him carry you on his arms. You then embraced him tight on the neck and you felt him smile when you did. You were damn scared since he moved to the edge of the ground. You were going to fall! How could you not grab him tight?! Maybe he was meaning to do that, you thought revengeful at Kurama. But it wasn't so bad for you either, holding him so close. It's kind of silly but also sweet. Although the ambience isn't really too good.

Within a few seconds, you stood at the entrance of the huge white castle.

Kurama placed you down gently. You looked at the huge majestic door in front of you and touched it slowly. You flattened your palm against the cold stone cement and tried to feel it beneath your palm and fingers. You looked at Kurama, as if a little girl would at her parents, asking permission if you could open the door.

"Go ahead, open it." Kurama smiled.

You looked ahead and stared at the door a little longer before slowly opening it. The door made an eerie creaking noise at opening it, but then it was an old house—you mean, castle—right? You entered slowly as you glanced around the huge empty castle. There was only little light that gets through which makes the bare castle even emptier with the darkness that surrounds it. "A castle, huh?" You asked to no one particular.

"Yup. Can you believe it?" A voice you didn't expect said from the dark way of the castle upstairs. Slowly, a dark silhouette walked down the staircase. "Do you like it?" With very little light to help you, you slowly identified that it was Yusuke in fact who spoke.

"It's alright." You said with witty confidence.

Yusuke understood and simply grinned. "I know. I think it's amazing. It's so grand." Yusuke continued down while he looked around which made you look around too. "And even though there's the unkind feeling over it, it still feels secure doesn't it?" Yusuke reached you and smiled while a thought seemed to form in his head.

"What?" You asked pondering over the look on Yusuke's face. "What are you thinking of?"

"Nothing. I just thought why Raizen would be in love with the looks of yours." Yusuke said with a smile but you sure he wasn't lying. It was really what was going on in his head.

"How dare you." You said with a glare. "Do you truly believe I am that unattractive?"

"Of course not. I don't know. It's just…I didn't really get how Raizen would fall in love? I mean…" Yusuke sighed. It almost made you laugh. "How can I explain this that wouldn't make me look bad?" Yusuke asked himself.

"You better." You said in a joke of a threat.

"Being a powerful notorious individual like him seemed to others like someone who doesn't need anyone. He's certainly proved that with the image he represents all over Makai. And yet, look what happened to him when mother, I mean our mother, died. He—I can't say he became weak—but he became…he changed. And I can't imagine how someone like him could. I mean, what did our mother have that captured someone like him so much?"

"I don't know if I should be insulted." You said with a small smile as you yourself pondered over the notion.

Yusuke snorted. And then a long pause came over you as you both obviously thought about your parents.

With nothing to do, you just looked behind you and realized that Kurama never followed you inside. Could he have gone around the castle or did he leave to another place, a place he usually probably goes to when he's in here. Is he usually in here? You suddenly thought to yourself. So if you became his girlfriend, would you have to go here usually whenever he does? What the… Where did that idea come from? It wasn't like you to think thoughts as those. Plus, it's not the time to think about your infatuations over Kurama and his stinking charming ways. You're in your dead father's castle for god's sake.

"So, do you wanna see the rooms?" Yusuke already started up the stairs even before you answered. But you stood firmly on your position and didn't move a muscle.

"Thanks but no thanks. I'll see more of that later when I go to sleep."

Yusuke turned around to face you, holding one hand on the cement stair railing. "What do you wanna do then?"

"Well, why don't we do the tour you guys promised me?" You jumped slightly to show a little excitement making your skirt move through the wind. You were wearing a white pleated skirt and a light baby blue sleeveless shirt with also a blue cardigan over it and your soft doll shoes. You guys had come home and changed right after you decided to miss school and go to this other world without delay.

"Are you sure? I mean, you wanna do it now?" Yusuke slowly walked down the stairs.

"Yeah, sure why not?"

"All righty then." Yusuke skipped the last three steps and took a long jump to you. "Let's go." He offered his arm to you and you gladly accepted it. You couldn't help a scream escape from your mouth when Yusuke grabbed you close and jumped high in the air. You passed by Kurama, Keiko and the others and flew over them. Kurama gave you a smile and a wink as you passed them. Kuwabara waved his fist in the air furious of not having to tour you himself. As the others disappeared into the distance, you strained your eyes for the sight of them but it was impossible. So you just stared ahead actually eager to see the world your mother lived in.