Kat: Today is special, Kii. You know why?

Kii: Why?

Kat: Because our readers get to enjoy two chapters today in a row.

Kii: Yay. Disclaimer- we do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. We own all the ocs.

Chapter 9: Hunted

Kat found herself staring at trees thinking how she was ever going to get herself out of the mess that she made.

"If I go then I would have to face them, but on the other hand, I would be hunted down and most likely killed," Kat muttered to herself. "But then again if I do face them then I would be killed too. Crap, either choice I choose I'll get killed." Kat let out a sigh. "Well, if I'm going to get killed then I better make it worth it."

Kat got up and started walking towards her doom.

A week later with the others

"Are you sure that she will come back?" asked Tsunami weakly. She has been getting weaker and weaker by the minute it seemed.

"Yeah, she promised that she'll come back," Sayo said.

"Hn, she isn't going to come back," Hiei answered leaning against the wall. Sayo was able to find the cure to Kii's poison.

"Don't say that. If she promises then she won't break it," replied Sayo getting a bit upset. "She has a week left."

"I don't know if she will," stated Kurama. "I mean she did sound pretty upset when you two fought," he said looking at Kii.

"This isn't my fault," Kii said, looking away from Kurama

"I never said that it was," responded Kurama.

"I didn't say you said it directly, now did I?" Kii shot back.

"Kii! Please stop arguing," Sayo said.

"Yes, please," whispered Tsunami.

"I give up," Kii said bitterly. "She isn't going to come back. I'm going after the next part of the potion by myself."

"She is too," answered Sayo.

"She is not! Don't you understand! Promises are meant to be broken!"

"What potion do you have to find?" asked Kurama not wanting another fight to brake out.

"The next on the list is... Spring water from Eternal Springs," Kii said.

"We can come with you," stated Yusuke.

Kii looked at Yusuke, surprise in her eyes.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Kii replied. "Aren't you supposed to be killing us or something instead of helping us?"

"Not true. Our mission is to retrieve the Medusa stone not kill you unless we slip and do," he answered her with a smile.

"You know, if you weren't here to take the stone, I might have hugged you right now," Kii smiled back.

"So, then I guess we're off to find the water?"

Kii nodded, smiling still.

Kuwabara's loud snores came from the room next door.

"Should we wake Kuwabara?" asked Kurama.

"No. We don't need that clumsy idiot in the way," Kii said.

"Works for me," stated Hiei a bit happy for once he wouldn't have the oaf complaining behind him.

"Sayo, Sakia, Tsunami. You all stay here. Sakia, start making that potion. I'll have the rest of the ingredients back in about two weeks," Kii told them. "And no, I don't expect HER to come back."

"Okay, but try to be back sooner. Time is running out very quickly," replied Sakia.

"I'll try. But things aren't always what they seem. Tsunami, hold on, okay? You'll be fine soon," Kii said ruffling Tsunami's hair like she was a little girl.

"Would you cut that out?" Tsunami said quietly. "I will," she added.

"But you're so much younger than me. It's so tempting to treat you like a child," Kii smiled, which was very odd for her to feel so happy. Especially with one friend gone and one sick.

Tsunami tried her best to look angry at Kii, but started to cough instead.

"Don't try to look angry. It makes you look mean. It defies your personality," Kii grinned like a child getting into mischief. "Okay. Time to go." she said turning to the Reikai Tentai.

Suddenly, Kuwabara ran into the room, shouting something about attack of the bunnies.

"What are you babbling about?" asked Hiei annoyed.

"Huh?" Kuwabara blinked.

Kii suddenly burst out laughing along with the others in the room, except Hiei.

"Can I kill him now?" he asked gripping his katana.

"I don't really care, but you need to ask your leader," Kii said, pointing to Yusuke.

"Wait, he's an easy target to kill him now," answered Yusuke.

Kuwabara mumbled something about not feeling safe.

"Damn right," Kii answered Kuwabara.

Kuwabara was still confused a bit and walked backwards back to his room.

Kii was still grinning widely.

"I guess we can still count him out," Kurama said.

Kii nodded, her face growing serious.

Tsunami's cough broke the small silence that happed.

"Well, we should be leaving," Kii said seriously, her grin disappearing.

"Do you know where the Spring is? I've heard that only a small few has ever been there," asked Kurama.

"Yes actually I do." Kii gave him a small smile. "My father was a priest/exorcist. He went there on a regular basis when I was a child. He sometimes took me along."

"Is it far from here?" asked Yusuke.

Kii nodded.

"It'll take us at least a half-day on foot."

"Then why the two weeks?"

"There's more to get," Kii responded. "This is a very complex disease."

"What disease is that?" asked Kurama very interested in the answer.

"It's called the Sakura disease..."

"I think that I have heard of that," answered Kurama seeming to try and remember it. "Yes, that is a very odd disease and rare right?"

"...correct." Kii shifted uncomfortably.

"I see," Kurama said now understanding everything. "How long has it been since infected?" he asked.

"... about two weeks. Getting that Medusa Stone and trying to keep you all off of our tails wasn't a simple task. I'd say she has about three more weeks to live," Kii replied. "Perhaps less," she added

"Then I guess that explains the fight."

Kii didn't answer. She just gave him a cold, hard glare.

"Is someone going to clue us in?" asked Yusuke.

"All you need to know is that before they die, they smell sakura blossoms and hallucinate seeing them," Kii replied, offering no more information.

"Okay, but who is infected? 'Cause I don't want to get it."

"It cannot be passed on," Kii spat.

"Good," he answered with a sigh of relief.

Kii gave him a glare too.

"I think that it's time that we finally leave if she doesn't have that much time to live," stated Kurama.

"You're the ones insisting on knowing," Kii responded.

"I didn't mean to take up this much time," replied Kurama.

"Well, let's get going," Kii said, beginning to run, expecting the others to be able to keep up.

"Wait up," shouted Yusuke at the kitsune who was already half way across the house.

She skidded to a stop. "Oh we have a ningen with us, do we?"

"When did you figure that out?" asked Yusuke angrily. "But that doesn't mean that I can't keep up," he added.

"I figured that out long ago. You smell like one," Kii said wrinkling her nose. "Oh doesn't it?"

"Yeah it doesn't," he sneered back.

Kii smirked. "Then you have to catch me!" she yelled, running out of the house.

"Okay," he answered running after her.

Suddenly, they bumped into each other, and Kii fell, Yusuke tripped over her, and they both tumbled down hill to a cliff over-looking a river.

"You idiot!" Kii called to Yusuke, between 'itai's'.

"What did I do!" Yusuke asked

"You're the one who challenged me!" Kii accused.

"Itai," she said, as a sharp rock cut her cheek.

They neared the cliff, unable to stop themselves. And finally they reached the cliff, tumbling over. The next thing the two realized was that they hit water. Kii came up coughing.

"Yusuke!" she called.

"What?" he answered coughing up water as well.

"You okay?" she asked between violent coughs

"I've been better," he replied as the two were being swept by the current.

"Oh and there's something I should probably mention..." she said struggling to stay floating. "I can't swim very well!" She looked around worriedly.

"Great," he muttered to himself as he tried to swim against the current to her.

She gulped in water, and coughed. "Sorry!" She grinned sheepishly.

Yusuke stopped suddenly. "Hey! My legs went numb!" he called to her.

"What!" Kii said panicked. "I'm so sorry for biting you!"

"I don't know!" she called. "I'm useless in a situation like this."

Suddenly, Hiei and Kurama dived into the river, Hiei going to help Kii, and Kurama going to help Yusuke.

The two were both on dry land coughing up water.

"Thanks, Hiei," Kii said, coughing up more water.

"Hn."

"What were the two of you thinking?" asked Kurama.

"Absolutely nothing. And that was the problem," Kii responded. "Hey, Yusuke, we could have died," Kii said. "Does that make us pals now?"

"I don't think so. You still have the Medusa Stone," he said coughing up the last of the water.

"Aww," Kii said, standing up weakly. "Hey, how are your legs? If we walk a little while longer I might be able to find something to suppress the numbness for awhile, but not cure it."

"A bit better but still numb," he said. "It feels like they are asleep."

"Can you feel this?" she asked playfully, punching him hard in the leg.

"Nope, but it's not like I would be able to feel it when they aren't numb. You're punches are weak," he replied.

"Oh yeah!" Kii shouted. "Don't forget I'm stronger than you while you're like this! And just for that I won't get that medicine!"

"So you're saying that I am stronger then you?" he asked.

"I didn't say that!" Kii hotly.

"Hey, you guys should spend that energy on something else besides fighting," Kurama said reasonably.

"Yes, it's like Kuwabara is here with us," added Hiei.

"How dare you compare me to him!" Kii said, poking Hiei in the chest. "I could bite you again! You are also weaker right now, so I'd watch out what you say to me."

"Is that a threat?" he asked grabbing his katana.

She smirked as suddenly the poison flooded to his arms.

"I wouldn't use your muscles that much. It stirs up the poison. And yes, that was a threat."

Hiei let out a low growl as his arms fell limp.

"I'll help him, Kurama. You can help Yusuke," Kii said, delighted.

"Alright. Be careful though. He'll get nasty," Kurama warned.

Kii grinned, exposing her small fangs. "He won't be a problem, will you Hiei?"

Hiei didn't say a word but instead glared at Kii. The female kitsune grinned at Hiei, ignoring his glare as if it didn't exist.

"Alright. Let's hurry before it paralyzes them," Kii said, putting Hiei's arm over her shoulder. This didn't work out so well, since Hiei was taller than her.

Yusuke let out a chuckle as he watched Kii trying to help Hiei.

"What are you laughing at, Detective?" Kii growled calling him 'Detective' instead of his name, revealing that she did not respect him at that moment.

"You. It's just funny watching you try and help out someone taller then you," he laughed.

"Shut up. Your pretty helpless right now, Detective," Kii growled out.

"Would you two stop fighting?" asked Kurama getting irritated. He was beginning to think that Kuwabara was with them.

"It's only a personality clash," Kii remarked.

"Well, then do you think that the two of you could stop talking?"

"They're insulting me! They're asking for it!" Kii shot back. "I'll get along fine once they learn not insult girls," Kii said stubbornly.

"Who said that I insulted a girl?" asked Yusuke.

"You asked for it now!" Kii yelled, dropping Hiei and running toward Yusuke, her hand balled into a fist, ready to punch him.

Kurama stepped in the way.

"Huh?" She skidded to a stop, bumping into him.

"Stop and think about where this is leading us. To know where," he said.

"Ugh. You ruin all of my fun," Kii said unhappily.

"Well, after we are done then maybe you can have your fun," he replied with a smile.

She seemed satisfied with this, and walked over to Hiei, threw his arm over her shoulder, and turned to the south.

"I think there's some of that medicine in the southern forests. Lucky for us, that's on the way to the spring. Oh, and if I don't give you that medicine, you'll die soon, so I wouldn't get me pissed about anything," Kii smirked.

Yusuke was about to say something but Kurama stopped him.

"You know, I like you guys and everything, but stubbornness is a flaw of mine," Kii added.

"It seems like you and Yusuke have something else in common," stated Kurama.

"Stubbornness? He strikes me as a stubborn person," Kii nodded.

She started toward the southern forests, expecting Kurama to follow with Yusuke.

Kurama took Yusuke's arm and pulled it around his shoulder and followed right behind the others.

Two hours later

"Ugh. They should be around here somewhere. If they don't get it soon..." Kii remarked, cutting off her sentence.

"What are you talking about Kii?" asked Yusuke.

"... My poison is very deadly," she said, offering nothing more.

"You don't like explaining things more do you? When were you going to tell us this?" asked Yusuke getting mad.

"Well... I was hoping I wouldn't have to," Kii responded. "Oh there's some! Stop." She stopped suddenly.

"Finally," murmured the detective.

"Keep on being nice, Detective. I can seriously put you out of your misery." Kii smiled, showing she was only joking.

She set Hiei down against a tree, walking over to a bush with small violet colored flowers on it.

"What kind of plant is that?" Yusuke asked watching her.

"It's called a fire flower. I dunno why," she said, carefully picking off the flowers.

"Ever heard of it Kurama?"

She picked off four of them, and took out a canteen.

"Surprisingly, no," he answered watching her closely.

"It's not poisonous, if that's what you're thinking," Kii said, raising a eyebrow at Kurama. "Fine. You don't believe me." She popped two of the flowers in her hands into her mouth, poured some of the liquid in the canteen into her mouth and swallowed. "Now are you happy?"

"I never thought that they were," he replied.

"Whatever." She picked two more from the bush, giving two of them to Yusuke first. "Put these in your mouth, don't chew, and drink some of this." She gave him the canteen.

"What is it?"

"It's medicine. It'll reduce the numbness therefore backing up the killing process," she replied.

"Oh, okay," he answered before doing as he was told.

She turned to Hiei, and realized that his arms were limp, and couldn't take it himself. "Ugh," she said shaking her head.

"Open your mouth," she commanded.

Reluctantly Hiei did as she said without a word in protest.

She put the flowers in his mouth, and poured some of the liquid into his mouth.

"You can swallow now," she said, rolling her eyes.

And suddenly, the three stomachs began to burn.

"What is wrong with you three?"

"Ugh." Kii clutched her stomach. "I think that I know why they are called Fire flowers," she said "It... it's okay. The burning will go down as soon as it's destroyed the numbness. I don't know when mine will stop though," Kii replied.

"In a few hours," said Kurama.

"How would you know?" Kii grimaced. "We need to get to that spring though. It's already been two hours since we left."

"Because right before you took it I realized that I remember hearing about that flower. I was going to stop you, but it was too late," he replied.

She smiled a bit. "Oh well. A non-painful lesson isn't a lesson learned."

"How much further now?" asked Yusuke walking over to Kii. The burning has stopped and he was feeling better.

"I'd say about an hour's walk. A half-hour's run," she replied, "It all depends on the pace, and how many distractions."

"Do you think that you can run?" asked Kurama to Kii.

"I'll try," Kii replied.

So, the four began the run to the spring. Suddenly, a team of six demons ambushed them, one tackling Kii to the ground.

"Just our luck," muttered Yusuke.

Kii made an odd sounding noise, and flung the demon away from her.

Suddenly, Kii coughed up blood, and the burning inside of her didn't stop.

"Kii," Kurama said running to her aid.

Kii made another odd choking noise, and she bent down on her knees, holding her stomach.

"That burning hasn't gone away yet?"

"No."

"That's odd. i could have sworn that i would soon. Especially for you," he said.

She made another choking noise, and more blood dribbled from her mouth. "Kurama! Behind you!" she shouted, pointing to a demon that had come up behind him.

He was able to carry both Kii and himself out of the way just in time

"Arigatou," she whispered hoarsely.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

A little ways away, Yusuke and Hiei just finished the rest of the demons.

"I think... I think that flower is killing me," she whispered.

"Hey! Kurama, how is she!" Yusuke called.

"Not to good. That Flower's apparently killing her," he explained.

"What!" Yusuke said, coming over. "Its KILLING her! Why! How come it helped us!"

"I don't know," Kurama answered.

"Maybe because it only helps demons that are infected," suggested Hiei.

"Only demons that are infected..." She paused for a minute. "If I bit myself, it might go away..." She stared at the ground for a few moments, turning the thoughts over in her mind.

"Kii, you might kill yourself in the process," stated Kurama.

"Nothing in life is easy now is it?" Kii questioned.

"I guess you're right but if it was to work then i will be the only one that would not be paralized huh?" he asked. "And another person that Sayo would have to find the antidote for too," he added.

"I guess so," she said, plunging her fangs into her own flesh, wincing at the pain flooding her body.

"How are you feeling?" Kurama asked the kitsune as she started to wake up

"...okay... I guess..." she said groggily. "I don't feel anything in my stomach so I guess that's good..."

"How's your body can you move anything?"

She moved her tense muscles slightly. "Yeah. Everything is working. I think the flowers started to treat the poison, so I should be okay for awhile. What about you two?" She asked Hiei and Yusuke.

"Well that's good," she remarked

"This has been one eventful evening so far?" he said back.

"Yes it has," she laughed a little. "But we should probably get going. How much time did we waste here?"

"Just a couple of hours," Kurama replied, helping her bandage her arm where she had bitten herself.

"Thanks Kurama," she said.

"So, how far are we now from the spring?" asked Yusuke

"I'd say not very far. Those youkai were probably looking for it to," Kii said, glancing to the south.

"Good."

Kii stood up, and took off to the south again. The three others followed her.

One hour later

Kii paused and sniffed the air.

"What do you smell?" asked Yusuke.

"The spring has a very distinct smell. I remember it being a little like sulfur, or for those of you who don't know what sulfur smells like- matches," she said.

"I know what sulfur smells like," Yusuke said back.

"Well then, that's one point for you," Kii shot back.

"Hey now, no more fighting," Kurama said ending the argument right there.

"It wasn't a fight, it was an argument," Kii said smartly, tilting her head innocently.

"Is there a difference between you two?"

"No not really. It would have resulted in a fight anyway," Kii smiled.

"See what I mean?" he answered back.

Kii continued running in the direction of the spring.

"Man, she like to run doesn't she?" asked Yusuke then ran after her.

"Hello ningen," she said.

"Hello thief"

"Yeah?" She smiled slyly.

"Must we always run?"

"Yeah," she responded.

"Why?"

"Okay. Stop!" she commanded. The reikai tentai looked around but all they could see were trees. "I can hear it," she responded. "It's under your feet, Yusuke," She said, pointing to the ground beneath him.

"What?"

"It's underneath you. It's an underground spring," she replied, walking next to Yusuke.

"Why didn't you tell us early? Wait I forgot you don't like tell anyone anything," he added

"Oh shut up! I didn't know it was an underground spring! My memory of my father are vague!" she said, glaring at him grumpily. She smiled. "Hey I'll teach you a trick I learned once," she said to Yusuke.

"What would that might be?" he asked eyeing her suspiciously.

"Focus almost all of your spirit energy into your fist. Oh and back off a bit. You might get hit with flying debris." She grinned.

"Yeah!" Yusuke asked after taking a step back.

"Focus so you make the energy spin in two directions at once... and hit your target!" she said, slamming her fist into the ground, and pieces of rock went flying, revealing a large spring.

"Wow, that's a pretty neat trick," he said admiring the out come.

"It takes a lot of energy though. I'll teach you it better next time. But for now... Let's just get some of that water. Oh and don't fall in," she added.

"Why is that?" asked Kurama.

"I heard rumors that if you fall in, you'll die by having the life sucked out of you. You can never be too careful," she said.

"Why does everything that you do will some how kill us?" asked Yusuke a bit annoyed.

"I didn't say that the rumors were true, Detective."

"Yeah, but most of the things you did might have," he said.

"The things we do almost kill us because I am the Cursed Child," she said, twitching slightly.

"Cursed Child?"

"What is the Cursed Child?" asked Kurama.

"The Cursed Child... is a person who has been bitten by the fox of the Forbidden World... I was bitten when I was a child," she said.

"So, what's the big deal about that?"

"The Cursed Child... Is the one with the key to the Forbidden World. If the barriar between the Forbidden World and this world break... the person who broke it could take this world over," she said, "But along with that comes the fact that I have powers that I can't control, and people shun me for that."

"Sounds like a Hiei story," stated Yusuke.

"What do you mean by that?" Kii asked.

"Oh, Hiei's the Forbidden Child or something like that. You're going to have to ask him about that one," Yusuke said.

"I've all ready got it for you," Kurama stated grabbing the canteen from his plants leaf. He used that to dip it into the water.

"You are welcome," he said handing the water to her.

She took the canteen happily.

"So, what's next on our list?" asked Yusuke.

"Rocks from the bottom of the Youkai River," Kii said.

"How long will that take to get there?"

"We're lucky this time. It'll take only an hour without distractions," Kii said turning to the east.

"Hour running or walking?"

"Running at a fair pace," she replied.

"Okay as long as we aren't running like we are in a marathon," stated Yusuke.

"Okay, no need to give another hint ningen, your exhausted," Kii said grinning.

"Does that mean we can rest?"

"Sure why not? It's only a hour away," Kii said, sitting down.

"Do you have any water on you?" Yusuke asked.

"Yeah," Kii said, pulling out a canteen from her pocket, opposite of the one she put Kurama put the spring water in.

"Thanks," he said taking a sip.

"You're welcome," she said.

"So, can you tell me how Tsunami became ill?" asked Kurama.

"We aren't sure really."

"That's got to be tough," he said.

She shrugged. "She's going to get better, you know."

"Yes she will," responded Kurama. "How did you meet her?" he asked.

"Actually, it was when I spent a few months in Ningenkai," she responded.

"Really! Why were you in Ningenkai?"

"No reason really," she replied. "I guess I was there visiting."

"But why bring her back to the Makai?"

"She became sick. We thought we could cure her if we found some medicine in Makai. It turned out to be more serious than I thought."

"By we, you mean Kat and you?"

"... Yes."

"That make the fight more clearer then before," he stated quietly but Kii picked it up.

"I can hear you Kurama. No matter how low you speak," Kii stated.

"Sorry," he said.

"Don't be. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just warning you," she replied.

"I'll be sure to remember that."

She nodded.

"Why do we need the two weeks again?" questioned Yusuke.

"Because. The unexpected happens," she replied. "The sun is starting to set. Let's settle down for the night."

"That's fine with me," stated Yusuke finding a place to sleep.

"I'll keep watch tonight," Kii said, finding a tall tree and climbing it.

"I don't think that that's such a good idea for you Kii. I'll keep watch," insisted Kurama.

"Thanks for the concern, but no thanks. I'll wake you up if I start to fall asleep. I promise," Kii replied unconcerned.

"I'm not worried about that. I'm worried about you not feeling too well," he said.

Kii thought about this for a minute. "But you all need your sleep. Even if I get rest, if I'm truly not feeling well, I won't be much help during battle."

"That's why you should sleep. The more you rest the better you will feel. Besides there is three of us that can fight," he added.

Kii thought about this again. "Alright then." She seemed uncomfortable with the idea, but no less hopped down, and found a place to sleep.

"I'll keep the watch and IF I fall asleep my plants will keep an eye out," he explained with a chuckle.

"Alright then." She managed a small smile.

She took out her ponytail and sat with her head and back resting against a tree, and fell asleep quickly.

Kurama watched her as she slept. 'She's much sweeter when she sleeps,' he thought.

Morning

Kii awoke, and looked sleepily around the small area where they had settled down for the night. Yusuke was asleep, but she didn't see Hiei or Kurama.

She stood up, stretched, and walked over to Yusuke. "Hey, Yusuke, wakey wakey time," she said shaking him.

"No, mom, leave me alone. I'm not going to school," he mumbled swatting her away.

"Yusuke. I'm not your mother. It's Kii. Wake up!" she insisted, shaking him harder.

"Then five more minutes?" he questioned.

"No. Get up, lazy idiot. It's already late."

"What time is it?"

"Around noon most likely by the position of the sun. Now get up," she insisted.

"Oww. Fine, fine," he said after revising a kick in the head.

"Where's Hiei and Kurama?" She asked, looking around again.

"Like I know. Probably looking around," stated Yusuke.

"But Kurama was on guard duty. They wouldn't just leave us alone sleeping. Especially in the daytime," she said standing up.

"Don't worry about that part. Look around do you see all of the plants? Ten to one they are all Kurama's. No one would be able to get by with out permission," he stated tiredly.

"I see," she stated.

"But we should find out where they are," he said standing up.

"Yeah. Hmm..." She breathed deeply. "I think they went that way." She pointed to the left.

"They could have always gone that why?" he suggested pointing to the right.

"They're scent is coming from the left!" she insisted, tying her hair up in her long crimson ribbon.

"You're talking about two of the best demons of course their scent would come from where they didn't go."

"I guess that makes sense..." she said, "But if my direction is right IN YOUR FACE," she said going to the right

"And if mine is right then IN YOUR FACE," he replied the same why following her.

They came across Kurama and Hiei talking in low voices. Kii looked angrily at Yusuke, realizing that she was wrong and he was right. He replied her look with sticking out his tongue.

"That's not funny at all!" she replied. "At least I'm still smarter than you!"

"Doesn't look like it. You couldn't even find two people," he answered with a snicker.

"You just know them better!" She insisted.

"Right," he said.

Kurama and Hiei looked at them with sweat drops.

"So, Kurama, Hiei, what's going on?"

"Yeah. Why'd you leave?" Kii asked.

"Would you keep it down?" hissed Hiei in a low whisper.

Both Kurama and Hiei turned back to what they were doing quietly.

Kii rolled her eyes. "What's up with him? That's the first time I've heard him talk besides 'hn'," Kii whispered to Yusuke.

"I don't know but listen to him because the only time he talks it's something important though," answered Yusuke quietly.

"Yusuke. We're not alone here," she whispered back.

"How did you guess?" he asked as they slowly were being surrounded.

"This isn't a time to joke," she replied.

"Who was joking? I was being serious," answered Yusuke.

"Okay then," she replied, looking at the demons with wary eyes.

"Thank you very much you two," growled Hiei unsheathing his katana.

"We don't wish to fight. We only want to talk to Kazerume Kii," an important looking demon came out towards them.

"What do you want with Kii?" asked Kurama protectively.

"We only want to know where someone is," he responded, turning to Kii. "Where is Akai Noraneko?"

Kii narrowed her eyes. "I don't know. What do you want with Kat?"

"That is none of your concern. As for the fact you don't know where she's at, I know you have ways of finding her," he said approaching her.

"No I don't!" She said backing up.

"Don't touch her," said Kurama getting angry.

Kii looked at Kurama surprised.

"What's the matter?" he asked Kurama, "It really shouldn't matter, since I won't kill her."

"Then what are you going to do to her?" he questioned.

"Nothing. Just talk," he said grabbing her arm.

"Hey! Let go!" she said tugging. Then she stopped for a moment. "What did you do to me?"

"Let her go, now," growled a voice from behind him.

He turned around to see Kurama. Kii started tugging again, desperately trying to get loose, but his grip was like steel.

"I said let her go," the silver hair demon said again.

"Youko...?" she said looking at the silver fox behind him.

"Why should I?" he said but let go of her anyway.

Kii, who had been tugging hard, fell to the ground.

"Good, now leave before I kill you."

The demon looked at him angrily before motioning for all the demons to leave, then leaving himself

"That's was strange," stated Yusuke.

"Kii, are you okay?" asked Youko helping her up.

"Yeah," she said. 'I still can't reach my spirit energy...' she thought unhappily.

"Why do they want Kat, though?" asked Yusuke.

"I don't know. I have a bad feeling about all of this," Kii said, staring at the place where the demon had retreated.

'Kat... What have you done?' she thought.

"We should get the stone first then we can check out what everyone is saying about Kat," suggested Kurama.

"Yeah," Kii said, returning from her thoughts. "We should get moving. I should be able to move quickly even without my spirit energy."

"You still don't have the connection?" questioned Kurama worriedly.

"No. I'll be fine though," she said, smiling, trying not to make Kurama worry.

"We should get the stone then head straight back," he said firmly. "Then Hiei, Yusuke and I will find a way to help you."

Kii just nodded, not wanting to argue because of the firmness of his voice.

"Good, let's get going," he said with a smile.

Kii nodded again, taking off no slower than before.

The group slowly made their way in the direction that Kii was giving them.

Two hours later, they came upon a large swift river.

"This is it," Kii said looking at it. "It's a little more dangerous this time of year."

"Surprise, surprise," murmured Yusuke.

Kii ignored him. "Who wants to go swimming?"

"What does it look like?" asked Kurama.

"You need to get at least two. They're bright red. They can't be that hard to find," Kii replied.

"I'm not going in," stated Yusuke.

"Well, it would be extra dangerous for me. I can't swim well nor do I have spirit energy right now," Kii stated. "So that eliminates me."

"I can have my plants get it," suggested Kurama taking a seed from his hair.

"Okay," Kii agreed.

Kurama fed his seed his spirit energy and willed it into the water. A few minutes later the plant emerged with two red stones in its vines.

"Are these it?" he asked as his plant dropped them into Kii's hands.

"Yep," she said smiling and turning the stones over in her hands.

"Okay, that means we're done, and what two days walk back?" asked Yusuke.

"I'm going to find out about those demons. I don't care what you guys do. You could go back and see if the potion is done I guess," she replied seriously.

"No, you are not. If a fight breaks out you would be helpless," Kurama answered back in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I don't have a choice in that," she replied.

"You will go back and WE will find them. That's that," he said firmly.

"But..." She blushed a bit when she realized she didn't have a good reason, "It's my responsibility to protect my friends. Kat is no exception."

"Yes, I know, but getting yourself killed in the process isn't going to help her," he said back with a hint of firmness still.

"But going home isn't going to help me either," she shot back.

"Yes, it will. You still have to worry about Tsunami."

"I guess if I go home... I could help with the potion... But still. I can't have you guys doing something that you don't have to."

"I don't mind,' he answered with a smile.

"Thank you, Kurama," she said, blushing a bit.

"Kurama, what do you think that you are doing?" asked Yusuke.

"We're going to help Kii by finding out about Kat," he answered.

"But this is unnecessary! It's not like we don't have enough duties already!" Yusuke protested.

"Look, I owe it to Kat and Kii so if you don't wan to come then you don't have to either," Kurama stated.

Yusuke hesitated. "Fine. We're going."

"Good, we'll drop Kii off then get going," instructed Kurama.

"Since when is he leader?" Yusuke said under his breath.

"When he starts to care," Kii replied.

"Stupid hearing," he said quieter then before.

"I can still hear you," Kii said grinning.

'At least she can't hear thoughts,' he said to himself.

No but I can a voice said in his head.

"Kat?" he questioned out loud.

"What are you talking about Yusuke?" Kii asked.

"Nothing, I thought that I heard something in my head," he said shaking his head like he was trying to figure out what happened.

Kii looked at Yusuke questionably, and then tried entering his mind.

"Yusuke, make your mind blank for a few moments please," she requested.

"Hn, that's what it is all the time," said Hiei.

Kii laughed a bit.

"Just please," she requested again.

"Okay," Yusuke said.

Kii entered his mind. Okay Yusuke, you can think again.

What are you doing? he asked.

I'm looking for signs if someone entered your mind. Ah I see. You have had someone enter your mind...

Who? I don't remember anyone doing that.

...Kat has. with that said, she left his mind, unable to hold the connection long without spirit energy.

Kii began to breathe hard.

"When?" He was getting confused by the minute.

"Not very long ago," she replied, still breathing hard. "Looks like entering minds isn't as easy as it was before..."

"Here's a stupid question. Why can't I remember?"

"Because. She made you forget. She has powers like that," Kii replied.

"I wonder why she entered?" he questioned thoughtfully.

"Who knows."

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK

Kat: Suspense.

Kii: Yeeeeessssssssssssssssss

KatKii: RR