Hello all. I swear, I spoil you guys too much. How many chapters did I update last time? Four? Five? Heh. Anyways--here is your nice chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: There are many things I don't own: Pocky, the Internet, chocolate ice-cream...Yu Yu Hakusho is just one of many. Kyu...TT.TT

Chapter Twenty-four

"I can't believe they were captured...Hiei and Kurama especially," Olivia sighs. "They're so crafty."

"That only tells us that we're dealing with a dangerous enemy," Malia points out.

She and Olivia sit on one of the two black clouds Olivia has conjured for the trip. They fly through the night sky and into the darkess parts of Makai searching for any signs of the ruins of the city where Koenma had first sent the Rekai Tantei, affectionately labeled Blutige Hohle. Derived from the Ningen language of German it basically translates to the words: Bloody Cave. Nissi, Vanessa, and Meagan ride on the second cloud only two feet away--no need to become separated.

The trees all look the same--dead or dying. It is impossible for the Destinies to locate where they are exactly. The only thing they can do is continue flying on. In the paper Koenma gave Nissi earlier he had scribbled hastily that the ruins would be more visible from the sky, and they would know they had found it when they felt a surge of power. The ruins were enchanted, you see.

"I think we're coming close," Vanessa shouts.

"Your powers increasing?" Meagan asks, surprised.

"No--it smells like roses."

With the Boys...

"Who would've guessed he would've been so darn powerful?" Kuwabara coughs a bit of blood, wiping it on the back of his hand.

The five assembled boys--Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Jin--sit leaning against the wall, trying hard not to move as not to agrivate their injuries. And they have several. The worst include two black eyes, a completely busted lower lip, a broken diaphram, and a shoulder twisted out of socket. (a/n: Oww! T.T) Hiei growls angrily and pulls himself off the floor, pain jolting through his stomach. Slowly he makes his way to the door of the room and looks out, only to see his captor staring back at him.

"Now, Hiei--I thought we already discussed how pointless it would be for you to try escaping. You can barely walk, after all."

"Bastard."

"No need for nasty words. I just want to lure the girls here and have a talk with one of them."

"Up yours," Yusuke calls from the floor.

Suddenly, their captor pushes the door open, sending Hiei flying back only to hit the wall and collapse. Shikasha...(1)

"Now be good little boys and stay down."

And Back With the Destinies

The ruins--from the sky--are shaped like a swirl, twisting and twisting until it reaches the outer edges where the clearing and the forest meet. As the Destinies descend on their dark clouds, the figure becomes less and less visible as the ground gets closer. Vanessa slips into dog form quietly to keep up with the faint smell of roses. The only proof they need to know the boys had been there before them. Footprints come into view, changing to drag marks that show a struggle happened.

"Can you smell them, Vanessa?" Nissi questions, patting her head.

Vanessa puts her now keen nose to the ground and searches around the ruins. Then she woofs as she finds Kurama's scent. She changes back to human form to inform them of her find. "These are Yusuke and Kuwabara," she points. "And these are Kurama and Hiei. Jin was probably up in the air, therefore there are no footprints. Touya is over there."

"So who's footprints are these?" Malia circles her hand over an area of different prints.

"Demons. That's all I know. That one over there," Vanessa circles it with her foot, "seems really familiar, like I've smelt it before, but it's...darker."

Curiously Malia bends down on her own knees and touches the ground, as if hoping for something to come to her. Anything. But nothing happens. So she moves further away until she sees a rose petal. Her fingers touch it softly. "Ah!" Memories flood into her head--jumbled and confused. But as she clutches the petal harder, they smooth out.

"Kurama pulled his whip," she whispers, eyes closed.

"W-what?" Meagan reaches to touch her shoulder. Olivia jerks her hand back. "Ow!"

"Don't touch her. She's seeing."

"Jin was up in the air, hovering above them. Yusuke was in his stance, preparing to fire the Spirit Gun. Kuwabara's sword was out, as was Hiei's."

Eyes still closed she moves her body two feet to the left. To the other footprints. "The demons came in from this side. One of the faces is blurry. I can't make it out. The other one is wearing a mask. They have strange weapons...they're guns. Really big guns."

The vision blurrs momentarily, then comes back stronger than ever. "Hey, Olivia. Try standing over where that petal is. See if we can share a vision, huh?"

"Uh...okay..."

Olivia leans down, grasps the petal, and Malia's vision comes to her, too. Malia takes a deep breath, "The one with the mask shot first..."

"...and Hiei blocked it with his sword," Olivia finishes.

"He shot again..."

"And Kuwabara took a swing. He missed and the bullet hit him straight in the chest."

"The other demon took a step closer and tossed her gun at them, scaring them. Then it...created a large ball of ice and water and tossed it at Kurama."

"He snaps it in half with his rose whip..."

"...but it only mutliplied by ten."

Malia stands up, as does Olivia--both of their eyes closed. Their voices blend, "The ice-balls attack everyone, striking them in the head and knocking them unconcious. First down is Kuwabara, then Jin, then Kurama, Hiei, and then Yusuke--but only halfway. The balls...form in the shape of demons and drags them away, except Yusuke struggles a little bit. They cut his head and he slips into unconciousness."

Suddenly the two psychics blink furiously and stare at their friends, who stare back at them. However happy they are for the information, something just doesn't seem right. The five plop onto the ground to think.

"You don't know who the demons were?" Nissi prods gently.

"Nope."

"Did you see Touya?"

"Nope."

"Nowhere?"

"Nuh-uh. Last we saw him, he was over there."

Sighing, Nissi struggles to her feet and marches over to where Touya was last seen. The footprints are still visible and very fresh. They lead off into the surrounding trees. Thinking quietly to herself, Nissi follows them quickly and finds that they lead further into the forest leaving off at the base of a very big tree. Grinning she concentrates her energy to the soles of her shoes and climbs the tree without any outside help whatsoever. She hears her friends coming after her, and slows a bit so they can see where she is.

"Nissi what are you doing?"

"I'm climbing a tree!"

"...Even in the face of death she's still climbing trees, huh?" Vanessa nudges Olivia, who nods in agreement.

As the branche become thicker, Nissi must move further around to get to the top. She senses someone's energy and speeds up, desperate to see who it is. As she reaches the topmost branches her eyes scan the area for any sign of her missing friend. There is none. Sighing in unwanted defeat Nissi prepares to jump down...until she feels a hand on her head.

"Aaah!"

Losing her concentration she falls back to the ground, hitting each and every branch in her path. By the time she hits the ground she is badly bruised. "Ow!"

As she cradles her hurting head, Olivia comes up to her, "I bet I can find a way to take your mind off that pain."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah--Yukina is Hiei's half-sister."

Quickly, she slaps her hand over Nissi's mouth. Just in time, as she was going to give a nice scream. Olivia clears her throat and points up. There, on the bottom branch, is Touya. His appearance is disheveled. But what would you expect--he's been hanging in a tree all day. Nissi shoves Olivia's hand away.

"You didn't have to scare me like that."

"I'm sorry. It's just...I thought you were someone else."

"Yeah? Someone else like who?"

Touya bows his head and goes into a fit of coughing. It comes to the point in which he falls slowly off the branch, only to have the Destinies catch him before he makes contact with the cold, hard ground. He smiles up at them. "I saw where they took them."

"Y-you what?"

"I followed after I escaped. It's going to be a long walk...if you're up to it."

"I think," Meagan states, "that the question is if you're up to it."

"I agree. Look at you!" Nissi stares at him. "Meagan, do you think you can heal him. And me?"

"Well, I can try."

She bends down and from her hand emits a blue light--much like the lights Yukina and Botan produce when they heal something. She runs her hands inches above the surface of Touya's body, not noticing the happy look in his eyes. No one notices. I'm so happy I found them...the corners of his mouth lift in a small smile. Soon his and Nissi's injuries are gone and the group prepares themselves for a long hike.

"Things have become so complicated..." Malia murmurs, running a hand through her wild hair.

"Yes, but at least we've figured out...how they were caught."

Blerg! How'd you guys like the chapter? It's coming to a close, and if I hurry I can finish it before I go to the states, and maybe make a little trequel. Wow, these are really long stories. Heh. But these are the only ones I seem to be able to finish. Oh well. Ja ne!

1--A Japanese swear word...I think...I won't write the translation. Use your imaginations, k?