Disclaimer: Still don't own YYH.

Now it gets a little more interesting. Please review!!

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Kurama struggled to his feet for the fifth time. This time would be different, he knew. This time he wouldn't fall. The fox demon took a few steps, then faltered. But he maintained his balance and continued to walk to the barred entrance. After taking a few more steps, he tripped on a crack in the concrete and fell to the ground. Again. Adding yet another bruise on his already overly bruised body. He cried out in pain as he hit, and then snarled in frustration. He had to get to Hiei. He had to make sure his friend was all right.

Kurama reached behind his ear. Yes, the rose seed was still there. Perhaps he could use what little energy he still had to make it flower and pick the lock with its sharpened end.

He had done that sort of thing many times before in his past life, to steal a necklace, a mirror, a golden dagger, and many other precious items. All of which were probably long gone by now, either recovered by Detectives or stolen by other thief gangs. But those things didn't matter now. Now he was free of that life, and part of him never wanted to go back.

But a part of him longed for the danger, the excitement, the foolish daring of himself to go to the extreme. It craved it, needed it to survive. That's why Kurama took things, his mother's best necklace, a book from the store, an apple from the market. A few times he even stole Hiei's favorite jewel-studded katana. Many times, actually. But the fire youkai never became angry with him, for it was never gone for long.

Kurama the human stole these things to keep his youko side amused and give the illusion of thievery. But later he would always compensate for what he had taken. If his mother mysteriously lost her best necklace, then he would help her find it, and if a book disappeared from a shelf, a few hours later the correct payment would appear on the counter. Really it was a game he would play with himself, constantly balancing the needs of both minds and combining them successfully into one person.

So now Kurama drew on the cunning cleverness of his youko side. He slid silently along the ground, deciding that it was better than forcing himself to stand and maintain his balance. Soon he was in front of the bars, and he sat up. The fox took the seed from his hair and used a minimal amount of energy to make it grow and bloom and sharpen at the tip. The air in the cell grew sweet with the scent of rose petals.

Then Kurama slid his long sensitive fingers around the bars, intent on pulling himself closer to the lock for better leverage. But instead of feeling cool metal, a numbing pain shot through his fingers and up his arm, electrifying his nerves and sending pain ripping throughout his body. The sudden burst of pain made Kurama cry out. His body responded by tensing, and his hand gripped the bars even tighter. This sent him through another round, more agonizing than the first. He arched his back and shrieked, releasing his grip on the metal.

The pain lasted. It consumed every inch of his skin. He dropped to the ground, screaming, trying to rid himself of it. He rolled away from the glowing yellow bars, and the pain seemed to lessen. Finally the glow dulled, and the pain died.

Kurama's skin tingled, warning him not to try escape. The bars had returned to their cool silver color, no hint of the force field that kept him inside, daring him to test them again. The fox slowly sat up, moaning as a dull pain hit his moving limbs.

He glared at the bars, hissing in frustration and annoyance with himself. He had been so foolish. Why hadn't he tested it first? His emotions had clouded his judgment. Intent on getting to his friend, he had been so blind to what might effect him. Now his energy was a little more then gone, and his body was tired and more wounded than before. How could he not have seen the danger?

Baka kitsune, he said to himself, his thoughts taking Hiei's voice. If Hiei were conscious that was exactly what he would say. His voice rung in Kurama's mind, and the fox's thoughts molded themselves into the fire youkai's words. Baka ningen emotions, always taking control of you, blinding your eyes to everything, binding your senses, consuming your thoughts. How many times must I tell you, Kurama? They're dangerous. You'd be much better off without them. You'd be free to think of yourself, only yourself, and the most benificial things for you, and you alone. You love these emotions, and you think they make you strong. The truth is they make you weak. I'd eat my sword before I would even consider them an asset. Baka kitsune.

"Baka kitsune," Kurama whispered as he wrapped his arms around himself and rocked slowly back and forth, trying to shield himself from the wave of loneliness he felt. "Baka, baka kitsune."

A dark figure appeared next to the throne. "You have news, my friend?" The voice echoed through the bare chamber. The cloaked figure smirked beneath the hood. "The board has been set, the pieces are moving," it replied, its voice merely more than a whisper.

The demon sitting upon the throne smiled. "You always speak in such riddles. Inform me with words I can understand," he teased, knowing full well what his cloaked friend meant, but wanting it to go into more detail.

The figure gave a sound that hinted at annoyance, but complied. "The plan has moved into it's first stage. Yusuke Urameshi has been summoned by the other Detective. Their teams are assembling today."

The demon chuckled. "Everything is falling so perfectly into place. Yusuke Urameshi will stop at nothing to retrieve his friends, and once he tries, I will snatch him. With the most powerful beings in my grasp, nothing will stop me from fulfilling my plans. I will rule the three worlds, and Urameshi and his friends will help me in achieving that goal. Now, go, and come back when you have learned their plans. I will see to it that our guests are attended to."

The hooded figure gave a curt nod and vanished through the doorway, its cloak trailing behind.