Hi all!!

Anyway, it's been a while . . . . I was trying to get some chapters under my belt so that I didn't have to stress over them. However, the disc I had the story on decided to die, and I just barely recovered chapters eleven and twelve, but not thirteen. Not that any of this really matters, there's still another chapter between here and then, but if I suddenly sound really unenthusiastic about writing this, that's why.

Okay, this story's about to get really weird on us, so hold tight, and please review!!

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Kurama was determined not to be seen by his stepbrother. Not that it was hard-he knew the other boy was being kept in detention that day for being late, but still. . . . Kurama's eyes swept the staircase somewhat nervously as he looked for any sign of Yuki. None. He had avoided the boy since he had woken up in his own bed after battling Yeirugan, but something in Yuki's eyes told Kurama that his stepbrother wanted to give him a serious talking-to the moment he caught the kitsune alone. Shiori and Keiichi were out that afternoon, and it was a perfect time for such talking-tos to happen. But not on Kurama's watch, the kitsune was sure. Just one more step, and he'd be. . . .

"Shuichi."

Kurama turned to see Yuki standing above him, and winced. Caught. "Hey, Yuki," Kurama said, trying to sound innocent as possible in a last-ditch attempt to avoid the coming scolding. "I thought you had detention today." He winced mentally. Great, remind him of something he doesn't like when he's about to scold you.

"What happened in the Makai?"

"What?" Kurama blinked in surprise. Yuki's tone wasn't harsh, wasn't scolding, just simply . . . curious. "What do you mean, what happened in the Makai?"

"Fine. We'll start with a simpler question. Why did you go to the Makai?" Yuki demanded, slamming his fist into the wall behind Kurama.

"I. . . . " Kurama started, unsure.

"You could have gotten hurt!" Yuki's voice rose.

"And why would you care if I got hurt, anyway?" Kurama yelled back. Lines of rage flew into Yuki's face, and Kurama winced, waiting for retaliation from the other boy.

It came, but not as Kurama expected.

Instead of hitting him, or hurting him in any way, Yuki took Kurama's face in his hands, one palm on each cheek, and kissed Kurama. Hard.

"Yu . . . ki," Kurama moaned into his stepbrother's mouth. Yuki took the opening and thrust his tongue between the kitsune's lips while wrapping his arms around Kurama's neck. The kitsune's knees buckled, and Yuki removed one arm from Kurama's neck to whip around his waist and support him.

"Shuichi!" They broke away, Yuki releasing his hold on Kurama and letting the kitsune crumple onto the floor. Footsteps pounded on the stairs, and Yusuke came into view, with Kuwabara behind him. "Shuichi! He's here!"

"Who?" Kurama asked, left dumb by Yuki's kiss.

"Yeirugan!!"

Kurama blinked, everything rushing back to him. "Oh!" He got to his feet and started toward Yusuke, only to be stopped by Yuki. "Hey. . . ."

"Shuichi, don't go."

"Why not?"

"He nearly killed you last time," Yuki said. "And I'm sure he won't hesitate to try it again."

"But you forget," Kurama said. "I have the Reikai Tantei by my side, not just a shocked fire youkai." He pushed past his stepbrother and headed for Yusuke. At the top of the stairs, as Yusuke and Kuwabara began to thunder down, he paused. "And Yuki, don't follow me. I'm a tough guy. I can defend myself."

After his stepbrother vanished, Yuki sighed. "Yeah, and you did a splendid job of it last time you ran into the damn youko." He looked at the empty space where Kurama had vanished, and rubbed at his side.

Kurama huffed slightly as Yusuke and Kuwabara showed him the way to where they claimed Yeirugan was waiting. It showed him just how out-of-sorts he was-usually he would have no problem keeping up with the two Tantei. Briefly he wondered if he should have asked Yuki to come along, or substitute for him . . . or something. His thoughts turned sour as they passed over the kitsune's stepbrother. First Yuki had rejected him, in a sense, then when he had nearly died in the Makai, the boy had practically French-kissed him!

"Kurama? You okay?"

Kurama let out a huff as he raised his face to meet Yusuke's, who was looking over his shoulder to study the kitsune. "I'm fine."

"You sure you can fight, fox?"

"I'm fine, Hiei," Kurama insisted, looking down at the fire youkai who was running beside him. "Yeirugan shouldn't be that hard to defeat, with four of us."

"Well, he did run when we saved you guys," Yusuke said. "So he can't be that tough, right?" He paused for a moment, considering, then turned to Kurama again. "You never told us he's a youko."

"I didn't figure you'd care," Kurama replied, getting his second wind. Usually it'd be a relief to the kitsune, knowing that he would be able to go on for a bit longer, but this time it disturbed him. If it was coming to him before the battle even begun, then he'd have a problem once fighting.

"You can't fight. You're too weak."

Kurama shot Hiei a brief glare. "And what about you? If I remember, you passed out before I did. Why aren't you so weak?"

"I've been training all week," Hiei said smugly. "I wasn't pampered by my family."

"They were worried!" Kurama protested. "It wasn't like they would let me go out on my own so soon after I nearly died. 'Kassan would have had my head."

"Why not go out with Yuki?" At the mention of his stepbrother, Kurama's cheeks flared, remembering the events before he had left. "It's not like you're keeping much from him."

You have no idea, Kurama thought, shaking his head, trying to rid himself of his blush and throw Yusuke off at the same time. "He'd probably spend more time telling me how to improve my fighting rather than making sure I was all right."

"Probably," Yusuke agreed. His eyes narrowed. "Hey, he's here." The group halted in front of an empty lot, where a black-haired man stood, presumably waiting for them. "You're Yeirugan, right? Come to challenge my friends and me?"

"Perceptive boy. No small wonder they made you Reikai Tantei," Yeirugan said, his eyes traveling over the group, starting with Yusuke. "And. . . . " The youko's eyes widened as they landed on a familiar redhead. "Youko Kurama."

"Yeirugan," Kurama said, all too aware that his voice was a bit hoarse. "Nice to see you . . . again." The words were polite within themselves, but Kurama's tone was bitter, and turned them into a warning.

"Same," Yeirugan said, smiling. "So . . . you are going to fight me with these boys?" His smile widened as his eyes landed on Hiei. "And the little fire youkai. My, my, Kurama, how can you expect to win with them?"

"You were frightened of them before, when they attacked you to save me," Kurama said, wincing as he referred to his loss.

Yeirugan scowled. "I was not frightened by them, but rather by your little friend," the youko said.

Yuki, Kurama thought, but did not say aloud. "Fine. Fight us, then, and we shall see who is stronger."

"I was hoping . . . to move to a more secluded area," Yeirugan said, his scowl twisting into a sadistic grin. "Somewhere where we won't disturb the petty ningens with their lives."

"Where's that?" Kuwvabara asked, confused.

"I was thinking at the edge of town," Yeirugan said. He was having fun with the boy. "Whoever gets there first gets first blows." His ears and tail popped out, and he was gone.

"Follow him!" Hiei shouted, heading in the direction he had seen Yeirugan take. "Before he does something, you bakas!"

"Is that the right way?" Kuwabara asked as Yusuke and Kurama took off after Hiei. "Hey! Can someone pay attention to what I'm saying here? HEY!" Kurama looked back for a second and nodded.

"Come on!" Yusuke shouted, acting as though he would like to head back and drag Kuwabara along on the ground behind him. Kuwabara let out a huff and followed his teammates as fast as he could.

Hiei caught up with Yeirugan rather quickly, drew his sword, and sliced at the youko. Never mind that he felt a bit unnerved doing so, because said youko looked disturbingly like his friend, but Yeirugan moved, and Hiei's sword sliced cleanly through a metal light pole that had been there.

"Sharp toy," Yeirugan called. "Are we sure a child like you can handle it?"

"I am no child!" Hiei hissed, swinging the sword again.

"They way you flaunt your toys, I'd say you are."

"Bastard!" Hiei sliced again, and Yeirugan dodged once more, causing Hiei to cut through another light pole. There was a crash as the pole hit the ground, and a warning shout from Yusuke.

Yeirugan grinned. "Now see what you've done? You're being scolded." Hiei voiced no reply, simply swinging his sword, anger screaming in his eyes. Yeirugan, who had been expecting a verbal retaliation, barely managed to dodge, letting the fire youkai score a thin cut across his arm which instantly began spewing blood. The youko winced, his hand flying to his arm as Hiei sliced again. This time he scored Yeirugan's chest, but the wound wasn't as deep.

"Hiei!" The fire youkai blinked, freezing in place as he realized they had reached the edge of the suburbs. He stood up straight and glared at Yeirugan as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama came running into view. Hiei noted that the redheaded kitsune was pale, but mentioned nothing of it. His comrade's weakness might be obvious, but he still would not point it out.

"Shall we begin?" Yeirugan asked, pulling out a brittle tree branch that hosted several dry leaves.

"Looks like you already have," Kurama stated, pulling out his own weapon-a rose while looking over the two new wounds that his dark counterpart sported. "Make your move, Yeirugan."

"One thing, Kurama," Yeirugan said, waving his dead branch around. "I want to know something." Kurama's eyes narrowed as Yeirugan threw the branch to the ground. "I want to know why you're so eager to die!" The branch suddenly burst into a full-grown tree that waved its arms, sending a wave of dead bark showering down on the Reikai Tantei.

"Agh!!" Kuwabara yelped as a piece of wood found its new home inside his right eye. "That stings!"

"Kuwabara! Look out!" A thick branch wrapped around his middle and hauled him upward.

"Heeeellllllpppp!!" the orange-haired tantei screamed as he flew further and further up. "D-don't let him drop me!"

"Yusuke! Catch him!"

The darker-haired tantei turned to Kurama. "What are you gonna do?"

"Rose whip!" The kitsune yanked his trademark weapon out, leaping high up into the air and quickly cutting through the branch that held Kuwabara. As the ningen fell, Kurama heard Yeirugan let out a shout as Hiei scored another wound on the youko.

"YOU'RE CRAZY, KURAMA!!" The redheaded kitsune heard a thump followed by an indignant "oomph!" which he could only guess was Yusuke catching Kuwabara. "DID YOU HEAR ME?!?!" The tantei sounded angry, and for once Kurama couldn't blame him. He figured there was only one reason why Kuwabara wasn't shouting as well-the ningen had to be unconscious.

"Stop shouting and join the fight!" Kurama called back to them before turning and flicking his wrist so his whip lashed out at Yeirugan, who had jumped high in the air as well-presumably to chase Kurama. The black youko shouted a curse as the thorns pierced his skin and drew blood. Kurama pulled back his arm, drawing the whip tighter around his adversary.

"Damn you, Kurama!" Yeirugan hissed as he squirmed, trying to work his way out of the plant. His eyes narrowed, trying to call up his yoki and destroy the whip, but as Kurama tightened its grip, the pain broke his concentration. "Damn it!" He fell hard on the ground while he heard Kurama land lightly, and cursed his lighter counterpart all the more.

"You okay Kurama?" Yusuke joined the three fighters as Kurama gritted his teeth. Yeirugan paused to listen.

"I'm fine, Yusuke," Kurama hissed. He shot the tantei a look that froze the darker-haired boy. Yusuke knew what he had done wrong-Yeirugan seemed suddenly interested, his head lifting up and eyes traveling from the tantei to Kurama's pale face, smirking.

"You're . . . weak, Kurama?" Yeirugan asked.

"No, he's not!" Yusuke protested, but he couldn't correct what had been said already.

"I think you are," Yeirugan smirked, calling on his yoki, feeling the rose whip wilt properly as it should. "I truly think I weakened you last time."

"You're delirious," Kurama said, fumbling for his words.

Yeirugan's eyes were crazy. "Am I?" The tantei backed away from him. "Then tell me why you couldn't feel me calling this!" Something grabbed Kurama from behind, and the kitsune suddenly found himself struggling with a dead vine that wrapped tightly around his neck.

Not again! Kurama's hands tightened on the vine. If he could spare enough yoki to bring it back to life, then Yeirugan would loose control over it. He could hear his friends shouting at him as he gathered his yoki, willing the plant to come back to life.

"You don't understand," Yeirugan said. "It doesn't want to be alive. Being alive only makes it weaker. It can be harmed if it's alive, even killed." Yeirugan smirked. "But this way, it's immortal."

Kurama let out a shout, and inhaled some of the dust that had risen off the plant when he tried to bring it to life. "It won't work." He inhaled again, sharply. "Damn it, it won't . . . work." He cast a glance around, and saw his friends tied up by similar plants. Kurama noted, with a hint of wry amusement, that there was a generous pile of ashes at Hiei's feet, and the fire-youkai was being held by what the kitsune recognized as the fire-proof vines.

"Once again, you're completely helpless, and at my mercy," Yeirugan said, his tone light. "So . . . where's your rescue now?" He grinned. "Your . . . little friend?"

Yuki, Kurama thought. Yu . . . ki. He closed his eyes, feeling miserable. He had told his stepbrother that he could defend himself . . . implied that he wouldn't get hurt and would come back alive. And now here he was, kept alive only by Yeirugan's love of toying with his opponents. He . . . knew I could. He wouldn't have let me come if he thought I couldn't protect myself.

"Tell me, Kurama, what thoughts are running through your head right now?" Yeirugan said lazily, watching the other kitsune. "I've always wanted to know what someone thinks when they know they're about to die. I've never had the pleasure of thinking them myself."

"Consider it granted!"

"What?" Yeirugan yelped, thrown backward by the sudden burst of yoki from his adversary. When the black youko could see again, Kurama stood where he had been held captive earlier, several live, squirming vines throwing about the pieces of the dead plant Yeirugan had held him in. Golden eyes stared into his own, and Yeirugan was suddenly aware of why Kurama could spend that much energy-he had transformed into his youko form. "Damn you."

"Where are your smart remarks from earlier?" Kurama asked, stepping closer to Yeirugan. Vines whipped out from between the kitsune's fingers, wrapping around his hand and wrist before forming into a spike protruding from his arm. "I'd like to know where they've run off to. Or perhaps you'd like to tell me what you're thinking, knowing you're so close to death?" Yeirugan screamed as Kurama threw a punch with the arm wrapped in vines, and found himself with his shirt shredded and torso covered with blood. "I missed."

"Get away from me!" Yeirugan called several dead plants from their withering seeds to attack Kurama. The silver youko's eyes narrowed, and he slashed through them with the vines he had used to escape earlier.

"That doesn't work, Yeirugan." Kurama took a step closer, raising his vine-covered arm threateningly. "Now. How shall I kill you?"

"Y-you don't want to do that!" Yeirugan panicked, throwing himself away from Kurama. "Please! I haven't done anything to you!"

"Liar!" Kurama screeched, his eyes blazing. "You killed my best friend! My partner!" His eyes narrowed, and he drove his weapon at Yeirugan.

"Wait. . . . " Yeirugan said, barely managing to move out of the way before the vines slammed through the ground where he had just been. "You. . . . " The black youko didn't have time to talk, as he was losing his breath and blood quickly dodging Kurama's relentless pursuit. He jumped away from his lighter counterpart. "Kurama!" The silver kitsune scored a hit, and Yeirugan was thrown backward.

"Kurama! Let off!" That was Yusuke. "We want him alive!"

"Hey, when'd the fight start?"

"You were out, baka." A moment or two passed. . . .

"Shuichi!?!? Where are you!" Kurama froze at Yuki's voice, terrified of the boy finding him in his youko form. "Shuichi? Where are you?" Kurama fell back, his white hair quickly reverting to red. "Shuichi!"

Kurama suddenly found himself tackled by his stepbrother. "Yuki!" He blinked, and whirled his head to where Yeirugan had been standing. The black youko was gone. Green eyes narrowed. "Damn him."

"Shuichi!" Yuki hauled Kurama to his feet. "I'm glad I came to find you."

"I was fine!" Kurama protested as his stepbrother squeezed him hard around the middle.

"You lost your temper, didn't you?" Yuki asked, looking over the kitsune's body. "Not hurt, that's good. But Yusuke said Koenma wanted that idiot youko alive. Do you know what happens if you disobey Koenma's orders?" The two heard muffled laughter from their companions.

"Yes, I do," Kurama retorted. His eyes narrowed. "But I don't care. I have a score to settle with Yeirugan."

"A score?" Yuki asked. "What do you mean? Nearly everyone who deals with Yeirugan ends up dead. With the exception of you guys, of course." He looked at the Reikai Tantei. "So, either way, what's so important?"

"Everything," Kurama answered, then sighed. "Listen, Yuki, I don't feel like explaining tonight, okay? So just drop it, and let's go home." He began walking away from the battlefield. He appeared calm, but inside his emotions were raging. How could he let Yeirugan get away? Was his image in Yuki's eyes important enough to hinder him from stopping Kuronue's murderer?

"I suspect you don't want me to tell 'kassan?"

"Lucky guess."

"C'mon, Shuichi, tell me what's so important that you just can't let the guy go." Yuki shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

Kurama whirled to face his stepbrother. "He did something I can never forgive." The kitsune's eyes narrowed. "He betrayed me."

"Betrayed you?" Yuki asked. "How?" Kurama opened his mouth, but Yuki stopped him. "And don't tell me that it's not important enough to tell me. Because if it wasn't important enough for you to tell me, then it's not important enough to risk your life to revenge it."

"I . . . " That was, indeed, what Kurama had planned to do in a lack of other options. He let out a frustrated breath. "You know that the castle Yeirugan currently occupies wasn't always his, right?"

The other teenager blinked. "Yeah, but . . . what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything," Kurama replied. He cursed mentally as Yuki crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation that the kitsune was not prepared to give. "He gained that castle by a great cost to me. And I want to let him know that what he did was a mistake-a deadly one."

"You're not going to tell me what the cost was, I take it?"

"No."

"Figures," Yuki said. "But, Shuichi?"

"Hm?"

"Thanks for telling me." He grinned. "Makes me feel like I'm beginning to be a part of the family."

Oh, Yuki, how I wish you weren't, Kurama thought, but smiled and nodded anyway.