Disclaimer: Don't own YYH. Do own Bri, Koko, the Wolfs, and Tsuki.

Chapter 8: Saved

…Bri…

I waited for what seemed like forever for Kuronue to return or Youko to come back and try to kill me. Let me tell you something, even if you know you can't die, the pain of death is enough to get anyone scared. I was so glad that Kurama had taught me how to turn myself down. I'm sure I'd be dead by now if I couldn't.

When Kuronue didn't return and Youko seemed to be nowhere at all, I decided to at least look at the mechanism for getting out. The stairs Kuronue had climbed were actually made of some kind of plant. I touched it slightly with my foot, in case there was some kind of alarm. Nothing.

I climbed up to the top of the leaf stairs and stood looking at the very same type of rose bush that Kurama had shown me back in my own time. Slowly, I backed away from it, knowing that if I made the wrong move, I would be dead. Kurama did not take any kind of botany lightly. When he said it was dangerous, he meant it.

And the fact that the thing had been grown under Youko's aid didn't help much. I knew how ruthless he was now. I knew how much I'd angered him already. I also knew from backing up that he was right behind me.

"Going somewhere?" he asked. "I should kill you for attempting to escape, wench."

I bit back a retort. Snide comments really would give me pain of death around him. I knew that now. Even Kuronue would kill me for trying to escape.

Claws dug into my arm. Blood leaked from a long, shallow gash. I turned my powers down. No need for others to feel my pain, too. Although, I had to admit, it didn't hurt half as much as the murderous look in his golden eyes. The very person that I love had turned against me. He wasn't the same, but it was him, a part of him, who wanted dearly to see me dead.

And that pain was worse than any death blow he could give.

"Get back into the hideout. Consider this your final warning," he growled. I moved slowly to go back down the leafy stairs. Apparently not fast enough, because he shoved me down them a few seconds later. I hit bottom with a cry. I landed on my bad arm, bringing forth fresh blood.

I didn't say anything more. I simply crawled back to the pillow on which Kuronue had left me. I saw a flash of sunlight. And then, I was left in the shadows once again.

…Kurama…

I am almost positive that Koko did not rest the entire night. She announced immediately when the five hours she'd allowed us were up. No one argued with her as we broke camp and concealed the remains of the fire. Not even Hiei, which surprised me. He usually jumped at the chance to argue with Koko. Yusuke and Hiei both were ready in a few minutes, but I found myself to be a little slower than usual.

I was remembering things that I hadn't before. Every few seconds, another memory would replace itself. I found myself throwing Bri down the stairs, unaware of who she was. No one asked about my silence, but everyone seemed to understand.

Koko opened up a portal and turned toward me.

"Where in time?"

"Twelve years prior to my rebirth," I said quietly. "In the Makai."

"Well, then, we get to kick some more demon butt," Yusuke said. "I can handle that."

"We must refrain as much as possible from killing demons," Koko said. She sounded more like Bri than herself. "We must at least attempt not to alter time. That includes you, Snowball."

I had noticed the gleam in Hiei's eyes, of course. The knowledge of being able to alter time, to kill potential high class demons before they wreak havoc on Earth. I knew the feeling. To not have to face Karasu…

But no. We mustn't. We can't. The repercussions of such actions would be, to say the least, catastrophic. Instead of destroying a strong enemy, we would most likely create an even stronger one. The butterfly effect.

Hiei merely grunted as we walked toward the future just a little more than the one in which we'd captured and killed Tsuki Sawaguchi. Koko sniffed at the tiny space. I had to admire Koko's amazing senses. Even though she was only quarter cat demon, she retained much of her power as a cat, as opposed to a human.

"I pick up Bri's scent here," she nodded. "Faint…but…" She sniffed once more. "It's strongest right here." Koko reached for the space and ripped the hole open. For a moment, we all looked through into the Makai.

The sky was covered with black and red and deep green, and the forest below, I recognized easily. It was my main base, right up until Kuronue died. I could just see the stream, where several part-demon females were working to catch rainbow trout for "me".

And at that very moment, "I" emerged from the forest.

"Stay back," I said quickly. "Do not go through yet."

It was a very strange feeling, seeing myself mutter angrily under my breath and suddenly remembering it in my head, too. Koko stared at the silver kitsune me, then back at my normal human self.

"Did you get hit with the sexy stick or something?" she asked. "I don't see what Bri sees in the human you."

Hiei smirked. "Yes, you would find the dangerous King of Thieves to be attractive, wouldn't you, Keiko."

Koko snarled and launched herself toward him. If there was anything that girl hated, it was being called Keiko. She put another rather large hole in the time halls. Hiei was simply too fast.

"Don't get on my bad side today, Snowball, I'm in heat."

"Too much information. The…um…past Kurama is gone. We should get going before he comes back." Yusuke walked past me into the portal. I sighed and followed him through. Hiei and Koko weren't far behind.

"Follow me," I said. "We'll head for one of my other hideouts."

"We can go get Bri now, why the hell leave?" Koko growled.

"I'll explain it later. For now, we must get off of these lands."

I transformed into my Youko form and led the way to another of the hideouts. I had had several of them during my years, for storage reasons, and this one was very near the main base. We were very near the stream, when another voice stopped us short.

"Master Youko Kurama, what are you doing back so soon?" A young coyote halfling, barely strong enough to survive the energy feed-off of a B-class demon, stared at me. She held a basket full of rainbow trout and wore nothing but a filthy once-white toga. Her tiny black eyes glanced over my taller shoulders at Yusuke, Koko, and Hiei.

I searched my head for her name. I knew who she was. One of the few girls in my past who had survived more than ten years of servitude toward me. I had allowed her to speak with me freely during the last two years. What was her name?

"Ayame, come with me," I said. "Bring the trout." She bowed once and obeyed by following the four of us.

I remember this hideout. Hidden behind a roaring waterfall, I had placed several plants to guard it. With a sweep of my hand, all of the seeds returned and we stepped, mostly dry, behind the waterfall and into a gaping cavern. Ayame set the trout down, fear apparent in her eyes. It was rare that my past self called a woman to him among other men. And usually, it meant something terrible for the woman.

"Ayame, relax," I said. "You are in no danger."

She did visibly relax some, but the fear was still in those tiny eyes.

"Who are your friends, Master? I have never seen the fire demon, and I do not recognize the energy signature of the other. Have you found another woman, Master?"

"Calm yourself," I said. "Koko is no slave. Nor will you be, any longer."

"M-Master?"

"I am not who you think I am, Ayame. I am still Youko Kurama, but I am from the future. And I need your help."

"Already, you're meddling, fox," Koko sighed. "I told you, we get Bri, we get out, quickly. We can't mess with the past!"

"It's all right," I said. "Youko was planning to kill her today, anyway. We only save her life."

Ayame gasped. "Master…he is going to kill me?"

"Not if I can help it," I said with a smile. "There is much I have learned in these past thirty years. Please, Ayame, allow me to introduce my friends."

"Friends?" Ayame glanced at the other three. It was extremely rare for a demon to have a friend, and even rarer for one to have multiple friends.

"Yes. This is Yusuke, Hiei, and Koko. Koko is my mate's half sister."

"Mate?" Ayame looked dazed. "You have a mate?"

"Don't look so surprised, chick," Koko grinned. "My sister has some…interesting effects on people. Isn't that right, Snowball?"

Hiei grunted.

Ayame looked like she was debating whether or not to just kill herself than listen to the insane remarks of my group.

"I will explain in due time," I said. "But it is imperative that we enter my Rose base and retrieve my mate. Kuronue found her yesterday."

"You mean the quarter cat?" Ayame paled. "This isn't good…Master Kuronue likes her too much to just let her go."

Koko fell on the floor, laughing.

"I don't see what is so funny," I snapped. "Bri is my mate."

"Jeez, calm down, Mr. Hero." Yusuke clapped me on the shoulder. "We'll get her back. I mean, it's not like your old partner is going to mate with her or anything, right?"

I scowled. "That is precisely my worry. He enjoyed human company and if he likes Bri, as I fear that if Ayame is right, it is only a matter of time before she is marked."

Er…okay…this chapter was really weird…I introduced Ayame, the character I mentioned earlier. Plus, I also introduced the dangers of leaving Bri alone with Kuronue…I'm still sick, but not as bad as it was. Soon I will be able to breath through my nose again! ;;

Sonya: Thanks for the compliment. And inspiration does come from the weirdest places. Like my brain, for example.

Kuramafan: Yea! I actually succeeded at putting in suspense! I was never good at that sort of thing…

Princess Kandra: All mine are stuck on CDs…I haven't handwritten anything in three years…;;

Sillylittlenothing: Hiei and Koko…I'm not really sure what their relationship is anymore…;;

Peeka-chan: Memories are good. But are they really memories?

SilverDragon: It is rather simple, actually. Keep guessing!