A/N: Yo! I'm here to deliver another chapter, people! But first, I've got to thank the following reviewers:-

Rita Jaganshi-Thanks for the review and for your effort to help me out!

Asilin Kheldarson-I'm glad to see you review regularly. Thanks! ^_^

XxAnimeLover14xX-Hey, thanks for your review! I am considering being an authoress. I don't think I'm good at anything other than hyperactive imagination. And oh, about Hiei and Mizuko, let's just say, don't worry ne? *winks and grins cheekily* ^_~

Suiyou-Thanks! Yeah, exams are lengthy and it does interrupt things. But I'll do my best in updating as often as I can (or as I am allowed) during that period. Don't you worry; I love this story too much to stop writing! ^_^

For your information, I don't do overnight relationships. I have read stories where the characters just met and decided that this is the guy/girl they want to spend the rest of their lives with. Things just go too fast, I mean. I like to develop relationships. No one falls for each other overnight. Well, not lasting couples anyway. But, you don't have to worry about this. I've got some Hiei Mizuko action planned throughout the story (some *hopefully* sweet moments before the real thing starts). Heck, I even have the sequel and part 3 planned out roughly. I just wonder if it's a good idea to write that. Ok, enough with crap. Let's get started!

Disclaimer: YYH is not mine.

"…" talk

[…] thoughts

Italics dreams/emphasis

~…~ sound effects

* * * * * * changes of scene/time

Chapter 7: Yami No Naka De Shinnyusha Ni: Intruder In The Dark

Hiei's POV

Silence was so thick that I could take my katana and slice through it. I watched the onna carefully, waiting to see her reaction on Koenma's statement. Her golden eyes were wide with shock. Yusuke was the one who spoke first. "Nani? You're saying that Mizuko's father is the one trying to abduct her?!" Koenma nodded slowly. A sudden sound caused everyone to turn their attention to Mizuko. She was standing, her face visibly paler. "Sumimasen, I would like to return to my room." "Mizuko-san? Daijobu desu ka?" "H-Hai." She answered my sister weakly and left the room. The ningen was clearly very shaken by the information. As Kurama and Yusuke began to discuss about Tai with the toddler, I slipped out of the room, unnoticed. 

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Mizuko's POV

Shutting the door silently behind me, I sat on my bed. [Isn't life just great? First I lose my parents, who weren't even my real parents, now my biological father's trying to kidnap me.] I let out a heavy sigh. "Dousuru na?" I said to the wall. "The first thing, onna, would be to accept that fact." I turned to my window. "Hiei!" The said fire demon jumped off my windowsill and looked at me straight in the eye. I sat back down on my bed, depression settling back down. "I wish I could. I don't even understand what he wants with me!" Hiei stayed silent, so I continued, "Why do parents even want to leave their children?" "There are many reasons, onna." I looked up at Hiei. His emotions were unreadable. [Oh yeah, Hiei was abandoned by the koorimes too.]

For a short moment, silence ran between us. "Hiei, how did it feel like?" Hiei locked his gaze with mine. "When your family abandoned you?" "How you even knew that surprises me, onna." I bowed my head quickly. "I have no feelings and I don't care. The only family I have now is Yukina." He continued. "Twins are considered a taboo in the Koorime Land. They had to discard one of the offspring. Of course, they chose me over Yukina because she, after all, is a full-blooded koorime. Forbidden Child, that is what they call me." I listened raptly, unaware that I was now staring at him. He seemed to have noticed, however, as he turned his back towards me. He climbed onto the windowsill, about to jump off. "Hiei, I would appreciate it if you call me by my name the next time and…arigatou." "Hn." And then he was gone. I smiled softly to myself, spirits lifted.

* * * * * *

Hiei's POV

I jumped into a tree, still confused. [Why did I tell the onna about my past?] It almost seemed like I trusted her. I don't trust anyone with my feelings that easily, except for Kurama and perhaps Yusuke. [But just then, I wanted her know about me, about my life.] I felt restless with confusion. I had never bothered to deal with complex things called emotions. Sairen Mizuko. This onna had triggered a sort of emotion in me, and this was definitely a new one to me.

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Mizuko's POV

"Koenma…" "Nani?" "Do you know anything about my…real mother?" "Iya, but I'll find out for you." "Arigatou." I headed out to the training field to get my mind off things. I practiced my aim with my shurikens and kunais. As the shurikens hit the center of the target, I grinned. My aim was improving nicely and the special training I was doing was helping out too. [The method's really effective, although it's pretty tough.] Next I practiced with my daggers and bare-handed fighting. I remembered all those moves Genkai-sensei and Kurama-niisan taught me. I even tried out a few moves of my own. As the day drew to an end, I was tired and looking forward to lying down in my warm bed. After a relaxing bath, I dragged my tired feet to my room. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep.

"Koko wa doko da?" I slowly sat up. I was surrounded by pitch darkness. "It's so dark I can barely see the hands in front of my face." Suddenly I caught sight of an orb. Its pale blue light illuminated the darkness around it. I walked towards it and reached out my hand. [Atatakai da.] Suddenly, it began to glow brighter. "Heh?!" A woman began to materialize right in front of me. I stared as I recognized her as the woman in my previous dream. [Ki-Kirei…] Her long cobalt hair hung loose around her waist. Her eyes were shut. She was so beautiful, but it was a sad beauty. Just by looking at her, I felt her sorrow pierce my soul. [So sad, yet so beautiful.] Her eyes slowly opened to reveal golden ones. Like mine. When she saw me, she smiled sadly and tears began to form in her beautiful eyes. She stretched out a hand and gently caressed my cheek. "How I wanted to see you, watashi no musume…" My eyes widen as I let one word escape my lips, "Kaasan…" "Kaasan!" I threw myself onto her, her embrace warm and gentle. For a while we just sat there in the dark, hugging each other. I looked up at her with a huge smile. This was my mother, my real mother. She smiled back and slowly let me go. "Mizuko, listen to me." Sadness took her face again. "Your father, he's after you." "We already know that, kaasan. But why?" "If you must know, then I must start from the beginning." I nodded to show that I was paying attention.

"When I first met your father, I was still a young demoness. You see, I came from a line of mind-power demons. We have quite a great power but we loved the peace. I was living my peaceful life when your father came to our village. He was such a contrast to our quiet lifestyle. He was an epitome of youth, full of spirit and energy. Not so long after, he confessed that he loved me and asked me to be his mate. I was naïve then, and I complied." She paused to take a breath. "After becoming his mate, I thought we were going to be happy. Demo…" Kaasan's face showed that she was feeling terribly sad. "I found out later that he made me his mate just so that he could control my clan. You see, our clan is bounded to our family, very closely so. If I were to ask for their help, they would come regardless if my intentions were bad or good. But, I couldn't leave him. I had you then and I still loved him." Her eyes shone with such warmth that it hurts me. "When you were born, I inherited you with my powers so that I will no longer bind him to the clan. He was furious naturally. One night, I overheard him that he was going to take your powers. As your veins still flow the same blood as his, he can do so. I was afraid that he was going to hurt you, so I sent you to Ningenkai, hoping that you would be safe. When he found out that I had sent you away, he was so angry he killed me." Tears flowed down her cheeks now. "I prayed that he wouldn't find you but he managed to. Now, he will try to take your powers. You'll die if he does that!" By now, kaasan was sobbing into her hands.

"Kono yaro…" I clenched my fist. My father was such a heartless bastard. I wiped kaasan's tears and reassured her, "Daijobu yo, kaasan. There are people protecting my now. And I won't let him do as he wants." "Onegai! You must stop him. I don't want him to hurt anyone anymore." "Hai, yakusoku da." She smiled at me and nodded, "Arigatou." She began to shine brightly. "Kaasan?"

I jolted awake. [Was that just a dream?] I could still feel kaasan's warmth. [Yume ja nai.] I could remember her every word and it proved that my father was a man who didn't love his family. Suddenly, I felt so angry at my asshole of a father. He didn't truly love kaasan. He even killed kaasan just because she kept me safe, away from him. But I wished I could've stayed longer. There were so many questions that still needed answering to. Like what she meant by him going to take my powers. [It's not I'm strong or anything.] And then she said that by doing that he would kill me too. [Does that mean that if I lose my powers I'll die? But losing your powers, I just thought you won't have any abilities left, at most. Does that bastard intend to kill me?] I shook my head. I guess the questions can wait till morning. I got up and decided to get a drink of water before getting back into bed.

* * * * * *

[It's so dark.] I gulped nervously, creeping as quietly as I could into the kitchen. I sweatdropped, [I feel like a thief.] I turned the knob slowly and entered the dark kitchen. I could barely make out the outlines of the kitchen counter, or I just might bump into it. I mentally cursed the clouds for blocking the moonlight. I didn't bother to turn on the lights. After all, I just wanted a drink, so one quick one and I'd get out of here fast. ~Shuffle~. I stiffened for a while, and then breathed out slowly. [Just the wind or I heard myself. Nothing's there.] ~Shuffle~. There it was again. I backed up until my back touched the counter. [Don't panic, don't panic. Heck! How am I supposed to NOT panic?! There's an intruder and for all I know it could be a robber!] The shuffling sounds came nearer and I started to panic. I grabbed the nearest weapon within my reach, which was a rolling pin. As the intruder got nearer, I shrank back into the shadows and raised my rolling pin. As the person passed me, I brought it down hard. But the intruder blocked it with his hand. Just then, the clouds moved away and the moon illuminated the kitchen to reveal…

Sumimasen-Excuse me/Also a form of apology

Dousuru-What to do?/What am I going to do?

Koko wa doko da?-What is this place (Koko means here, doko means where)

Atatakai-Warm

Kirei-Beautiful/Pretty

Musume-Daughter

Kono yaro-That bastard (A form of insult)

Onegai-Please

Yakusoku-Promise

Yume-Dream

Ja nai-Used to deny a statement (It isn't/That's not, something like that.)

Niisan-Older brother. I just remembered that this is the way to spell it.

A/N: CLIFFHANGER!! So how was this chapter? I wanted to let on more but then I thought it'd be best if I stopped here. *muahahaha! I'm evil!* Anyways, for those who eagerly awaits some Hiei and Mizuko action (I'm sure most of you are), there should be one in the next chapter. (Note the word should) But it's pretty mild. Like I said, nothing heavy until the real thing. Well, R & R, minna! Ja ne! ^_^