Hello! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. The internet wassn't working, something was wrong with , blah blah blah. Anyway, it's up now. I'd like to thatnk everyone who's reveiwed and not flamed me. Can't wait to write more!!!


Chap. 9- A Past Unveiled

Natsuki was unsure if this was really happening. She stood there, lips pressed against Hiei's. He did nothing. He just stood there, arm to the side, taking it all in with out any reaction. Natsuki longed for him to put his arms around her, but he didn't.

Hiei was in shock. Natsuki was… kissing him! What was he supposed to do? He almost wanted to put his arms around her waist, he wanted to pull her closer; but at the same time, he wanted her to stop. He felt his eyes begin to close. His finger twitched. No. He was thrown back into reality. Do not fall for her.

Natsuki backed away. Her eyes were still closed, trapped in the moment. Hiei looked at her. Her large, red eyes slowly opened. Hiei gulped. Oh my gods, she looked so… No, maintain control. Natsuki looked into his eyes, blushing all of a sudden. She tried to speak. Hiei spoke instead.

"Well, are you satisfied?" he asked coldly. Natsuki's eyes began to water. Like hell she was going to cry in front of him though.

"No," she said, he voice wavering slightly. She turned and walked out the door, making no sound.

After she had closed the door, Hiei walked over to the wall. He slid down it, finally sitting on the floor. He touched his lips. He could almost feel Natsuki's lips still pressed against his. He sighed. Why was he so mean to her? Well, because that's the way you are. You told yourself you would never bother with love. Yes, he had promised himself that once before. No one ever kept the promises to him. Why should he keep this promise to himself?

Natsuki was in the room opposite from him. She was laying face up on the bed. Silent tears were dripping down her face. Her expression had not changed though. I'm such an idiot. She thought to herself. She sat up and wiped her tears away. Good thing too, because Shadowflame walked in.

Shadowflame took one look at Natsuki and could tell she was distraught.

"What did the little bastard do?" she said coldly. Natsuki chuckled and rubbed her eyes.

"Nothing that isn't expected of him." Natsuki said. Shadowflame came and sat down beside her. Natsuki had forgotten that she was her friend, any was not quite used to Shadowflame yet.

"Listen, if you don't want to....uh….you know, then I can just stay in the human world for a while." Shadowflame said uneasily. Natsuki smiled.

"Thank you," Natsuki said. Even though she was a really mad at Hiei right now, she didn't want him to go away anytime soon. Maybe she just believed in second chances.

The sky outside had turned from beautiful blue, to an overcast gray. Shadowflame left the room. Natsuki looked out the window. It was such a perfect day too…

Shadowflame walked into the living room. Kurama was sitting on the couch looking at something in his hand, but quickly put it away when she came in. He smiled. Shadowflame sighed.

"You are not Yôkô Kurama." She said exasperated. Kurama stopped smiling. At the back of his mind he could hear Yoko screaming You bitch! I'll show you I'm Yoko right here right now! Jut get her to lay down Shuichi…the human part of Kurama responded to this in a panicking sort of way. No way. You are not to touch her until you are in Yoko form and can talk to her about your…feelings. Kurama looked up.

"I can prove it to you tonight." he said.

Shadowflame walked into the woods later on that night. Kurama had told her to meet him in the clearing from earlier on that day. She walked down the little path. It was almost dark, and it was hard to see. She glided past a small pond and into the clearing. Someone stood at the other side. It was hard to tell if it was Kurama. She began to walk closer. The person turned around to face her. She gasped.

Yôkô Kurama stood before her, his long silver hair flowing down his back and his tail blowing slightly in the soft wind that was rushing through the trees. It was an autumn breeze. The kind that said winter will be coming soon. Yoko smiled, his yellow eyes gleaming in the last light before darkness. Shadowflame was speechless. She had not seen Yoko since the day she had left his tribe. She forgot how hot he was.

"Long time no see, Shadowflame." He said coolly. "I'm glad I bumped into you." She walked slowly towards him.

"So…what did you want to talk about?" she said, her voice sounding more unsure than she would have hoped for it to sound.

"Why do you sound so scarred?" Yoko asked her, amused. Shadowflame growled.

"How did you end up in the human world, Kurama?" Kurama looked at her.

"I was looking for you." Shadowflame was taken aback. He was looking for her?

"You came to the human world looking for me? Why the human world? I was in demon…" Kurama shook his head.

"I was wounded looking for you. During a little side-track raid I was badly wounded by a bounty hunter. I escaped into the human world in soul form." He said smiling. "After a while I just gave up." Shadowflame was confused. She had left Kurama's tribe because she wanted to start a new life. She had never given Kurama much thought. Sure, he was a great friend and was always nice to her; but why would he have been looking for her?

"Why were you looking for me in the first place?" Shadowflame asked aloud. Kurama just look at her puzzled.

"Because I'm in love with you." He said finally. Shadowflame just stared. Did those words just come out of his mouth? Am I imagining this?

"W-what did you say?" she said in a whisper. Kurama moved closer.

"Because I'm in love with you." He repeated. He put his arms around her waist. Shadowflame's eyes got wide. Kurama's face was slowly moving toward hers. If it was possible for her eyes to get any wider, they would have. His lips touched hers, not at all in a shy manner.

At first she was a little stunned, then she relaxed and put her arms around his neck. I knew it! She though, and started to kiss him harder as he ran his hands through her hair.

Back at the guest house, Natsuki had fallen asleep. Tear marks were still visible on her face. Her dream was a distant memory from the past. She was walking along a path dressed in armor and heavily guarded with weapons. Some one was running towards her. It was Shadowflame. She was yelling and waving.

"Oi Kiki! Come on! The boss is going to be mad if we don't hurry! This is an important client!" she stopped in front of her. "What's wrong Natsuki?" she asked. Natsuki looked up at her. "I'm not sure about this mission." She said uneasily. Shadowflame put her arm around her and smiled.

"Since when does the great Natsuki have second guesses? You are one of the best assassins there ever was!" she said encouragingly. Natsuki smiled. She nodded her head and they began to run down the path.

They came to a hut in the middle of the forest. They entered into a room that had many sharp tools, drills and so on. They walked past this somewhat scary room and into another. There was a long passage way, leading underground. Walking down it gave Natsuki claustrophobia. They reached a long dark room. It was moist and various fungi grew along the sides. At the end sat someone with their back towards them. Shadowflame spoke.

"We were sent from Hirato Shendata. We are to fulfill your orders sir." This was their cue to bow. The man turned around. Natsuki and Shadowflame stood up straight. They both had to try hard not to scream. The most atrocious man stood before them. He had various piercing all over his face and down his arms; and looked as if he had had many surgeries. He smiled; or at least Natsuki thought he smiled. She bowed deeply so she did not have to look at him. She did not like him at all.

"What may we call you by, master?" Natsuki asked. Shadowflame had bowed also. The man answered,

"You may call me master, but my name is Shigure." His voice was most unpleasant, and it made Natsuki want to throw up. Instead they both said yes master as practiced.

"Now, my orders…" he said starting to pace. "I want you to destroy Hiei Jaganshi." Natsuki was confused. Jaganshi? She looked up at him, trying not to flinch.

"Do you mean…he has a…?"

"A Jagan. Yes. I implanted it." He finished for her. Natsuki shivered for the second time. She had almost gotten this operation done, it was good for fire demons, but it was supposed to be painful beyond all belief.

"May we ask what we are destroying this man for?" Shadowflame asked.She had also straightened up. Shigure smiled.

"He owes me something…" that was all they got. They bowed and walked out.

Once out of the hut, they began to walk to the place Shadowflame had arranged for Natsuki to enter the human world. She was good at these secretive arrangements.

"That dude was way to creepy." Shadowflame said.

"You can say that again." Natsuki said, glad Shadowflame was shook up by that little meeting as much as she was. "I was afraid if he touched me, I would catch that "to damn ugly to be able to live" disease."

They laughed about that last comment for a while until they came close to the spot where the portal was. There was a cave that had a small jagged opening in front of them. Natsuki followed Shadowflame in.

"Watch you head, Kiki..." Shadowflame said, helping Natsuki in. They walked down into a long twisted tunnel that slowly opened up into a large room.

The portal was over in a corner. Two figures dressed in black guarded the opening. Natsuki turned to Shadowflame to get her orders.

"Now, I'm sending you to a remote location just outside of Tokyo, Japan. You should be able to locate the target using this…" She handed Natsuki a crystal necklace. "And here's a little something from Mr. Shendata himself." She handed Natsuki a thick leather arm band. Natsuki took it as if it was made of porcelain.

"I think we know who the favorite is." Shadowflame said, as Natsuki traced the words Chosen One with her finger across the leather band. She quickly put it on. Shadowflame stood back.

"Good luck solder!" she said saluting to Natsuki. Natsuki saluted back. She turned towards the portal and walked through.


Well that was the long awaited chapter 9! Hope you liked it. It actually took a looooong time to write. .....don't know why tho. Anyway, chapter ten should be up very very very sooon.