Time passed quickly as it usually did for the trio. Not too soon after Kuronue joined the group he began to pillage along side Mayumi and Yoko becoming unrivaled by anyone else. Yoko and Mayumi hardly spoke anymore except when in conference about their next hit which was fine with Mayumi. Kuronue and Yoko became fast friends much to her approval and chagrin.

"Kuronue?"

"Yes?": He said half asleep.

"Do you ever wonder what your life would have been like if you hadn't left your home?" She asked from the comfort of his arms.

"Sometimes. Why do you?"

"All the time."

"Do you regret the choice's you've made so far."

"A few of them but then I realize that all of my choices lead me to you and your not so bad." She said smiling.

"Ha. Thanks." He retorted.

"No problem." She said kissing him lightly on the lips.

"Mayumi I love you so much. I don't want to live my life thieving for centuries on end searching for something that will never be acquired."

"What are you saying?"

"Will you be with me always Mayumi and bare my children?" He asked softly.

"Yes Kuronue I will, I will!" Mayumi replied ecstatically kissing him passionately.

"One last hit Mayu that's all and we'll give it up. We can retire and live off of our reputations and riches. No one will ever bother us."

"Kuronue I have a question that has been nagging me since we first met."

"And that is?"

"The tare in your wing how did you get it?"

"Oh well. That's kind of a sad story. Are you sure you want to hear it?"

Mayumi nodded unable to answer.

"Well when I was still just really a kid my brother took me to this real swanky bar slash inn. We were down in the bar part, him drinking his fill and me just sitting there, when I heard this blood curdling scream, a little kid scream. So I ran up the stairs into one of these nasty rooms to see this female who worked there just slaughtering this little girl. By the time I got there she was as good as dead but I snapped and attacked the older female. She got away and I don't where she went from there. I went over to check on the little girl but she was already dead. Just as I was standing up the door slams open and in bolts this girl whom I assume was the dead girls mother. She just stood there for a minute before she attacked me and took a chunk out of my wing with her teeth. I threw the bitch off and bolted. Why do you ask?"

Mayumi felt the hot tears roll down her face.

"So our paths have crossed before. Maybe if I had let you explain back then we could have been together much sooner and I would have been saved a lot of suffering." Mayumi said sitting up. Kuronue remained silent for a minute or two.

"Oh my god. Was she yours?"

"No but that doesn't mean I loved her any less. You see that's one reason why I hate Yoko so much. The female that killed my sweet baby Rin was one of the girls favored by Yoko. She would do anything to help him even murder. Yoko knew I wouldn't leave the inn with out Rin but she belonged to Gavler so he lured me out and had her killed leaving me to think that she had just been senselessly murdered."

"Damn." Kuronue said standing up.

"That's probably where he is right now." Mayumi stated.

"Well then why don't we pay him a little visit?" Kuronue said.

It had been centuries since Mayumi had been to Gavlers but it still held the same fear for her being there. It hadn't changed at all except for new faces and it was even more run down then ever.

"Do you see her? The one who killed Rin?" Kuronue whispered to her. Mayumi shook her head.

"No but I know where to find her." Mayumi said walking to where the rooms were kept.

"Hey girl! You can't go in there?" Gavlers all too familiar voice resounded. Mayumi turned around to face him.

"What did you say to me?" She asked coldly. It was as if all movement in the bar stopped as everyone turned their attention on her. Across the room whispers echoed her name.

"Uh, her Mayumi. Well it's great to see you again Mayu. What brings you here?" He asked nervously. Mayumi shot her hand out around his sweaty neck.

"Where is Kinta?"

"Kinta. Kinta's…"

"Kinta's what?" Mayumi shouted.

"Dead."

"What!"

"Ryouko killed her a little while after he took you. He found out she killed Rin so he killed her." Gavler gasped as Mayumi tightened her grip. She let him go with a shove.

"Your lieing!" She shouted at him.

"You really think I'd lie about that!" He yelled.

"To protect an investment yes I do."

"Well I'm not if you don't believe me search."

"Fine I will." Mayumi yelled heading towards Kinta's room. She kicked open the door causing the female in there to jump and scream.

"Shut up!" Mayumi snapped scanning the room.

"Where is Kinta?"

"W-who?"

"This is Kinta's room where is she?"

"This is my room and I know no one by that name." The girl yelled at her. Mayumi glared her down backing her into a corner.

"Do you swear it?"

"Ha. Who the hell do you think you are barging into my room and making demands! You can't touch me I'm favored by Ryouko!" She said snottily.

"Who am I? I am Mayumi Taisho! Who in the blue hell are you?"

The girl's eyes nearly popped out of her head as she slammed her mouth shut.

"That's what I thought. Do you swear that you know no one by that name?" Mayumi asked forcefully. The girl only nodded once. Kuronue met her at the stairs.

"Everyone's story either checks out with what Gavler said or they don't know who she is." He said.

"I just don't understand why he would kill her after she did his dirty work." Mayumi said mostly to herself.

"What now?" Kuronue asked. Mayumi shrugged.

"Wanna burn it down?" Mayumi asked.

"Cool." Kuronue replied.

Gavler was none to pleased as his establishment went up in flames. Frantically he ran back and forth stomping his feet like a scolded child.

"He'll just rebuild." Kuronue said.

"And I'll just burn it down again." Mayumi said enjoying the warmth the flames brought forth in the cold air.

"So what now?" Kuronue asked.

"One more hit right?" Mayumi asked smiling at him widely. He looked down at her.

"Yep. One more."

"Well Yoko had the demon palace in mind."

"We should hurry before he gets all the good stuff then." Kuronue said running off with Mayumi close behind.

The artifact that Yoko acquired of course was a priceless one. The three ran out with the demon guards close behind them. Mayumi ran feeling the wind whip past her and almost carry her.

"So you really are going to give this up?" Yoko asked from her side. Mayumi didn't answer just kept running. Kuronue made a yell of some sort and ran back. Mayumi and Yoko stopped dead in their tracks to look back at him.

"Kuronue come back!" Yoko yelled.

"I need it!" He yelled back to them.

"Need what?" Mayumi shouted.

"His pendant broke." Yoko explained.

"Your going back for that piece of junk!" Mayumi screamed. Kuronue bent down to pick it up as razor sharp bamboo shards rained down upon him piercing straight through. Mayumi screamed as his blood spilled onto the ground. She began to run towards him only to be held back by Yoko.

"No I'll help him take this and run." Yoko said throwing the artifact at her.

"No forget about me Kurama just take Mayumi and run!" Kuronue shouted weakly. Yoko hesitated for a moment before grabbing Mayumi and running away.

"No! No! NO!" Mayumi screamed and beat at Kurama with her fists. "Let me go!"

"You'll be killed as well!" He shouted at her.

"Then so be it!" She screamed.

"No I can't lose you!" He yelled.

They soon lost the interest of their would be captors once they found Kuronue's body and took it for what ever purpose they had for it. Mayumi sat at the edge of a stream quietly as Kurama weakly looked through the book he had gotten. After a few minutes he dropped it at his side and stared blankly ahead.

"I hate you." Mayumi said suddenly. Yoko remained silent.

"Did you hear me? I said I hate you!" She screamed angrily charging him and beating at him with her fists again. Yoko toppled over onto the ground and just held her in his arms as her hits became less painful.

"Why do you hate me Mayu?" He asked sadly.

"You've killed everyone I love, everyone who has ever loved me!" She cried out trying to escape his grasp.

"Do you believe I killed Kuronue?" He asked.

"I know you had something to do with it! I just know it!" She yelled sobbing.

"Believe what you will Mayu." He said. She got away from his grasp and jumped to her feet.

"I can't stand the sight of you anymore Yoko Kurama. The next time I see you it will be at your funeral!" Mayumi screamed running off into the night. She expected Yoko to follow her but he didn't.

"You have screwed with me for the last time Yoko Kurama. You will rue the day you met me." She said to herself as she made her way to spirit world. She wasn't even a hundred yards with in the boundries of King Yama's palace when all hell broke loose. Alarms blared loudly as she ran up to the gate of judgement to encounter a blue haired fairy girl. The young girl say Mayumi and tried to run but Mayumi caught hold of her.

"Hold it." Mayumi ordered grabbing her by the hair.

"Please don't don't hurt me." The girl said.

"What's your name? Mayumi asked.

"B-Botan." The girl replied.

"Well Botan your going to take me to King Yama's office."

"I can't do that. He's away on business affairs but I cant take you to Lord Koenma's office." Botan said desperately.

"Fine then lead the way and keep those lackies away from me." She said. Botan hurried through the halls with Mayumi close behind. Botan entered what appeared to be an office room with ogres hurrying about. She opened the door to Koenma's office and rushed in. Mayumi turned before entering glaring at the demons.

"No funny business." She said.

"No way Mayumi Taisho. You rule!"

"Yeah go Black Widow!"

"Ha. Thanks boys." She said closing the door behind her. The child ruler of the spirit world was visibly shaken by her sudden appearance.

"M-Mayumi T-T-.." He stuttered.

"Good I'm glad an introduction isn't necessary. Listen here kid I have a proposition for you. I know where you can find Yoko Kurama." She said non chalantly.

"At what price?" Koenma asked.

"Clear my record and leave me the hell alone. I won't cause any more trouble for you." She stated resting her hands on his desk staring him straight in the eyes. Koenma cleared his throat.

"You do realize that if you give up his position he will be killed." Koenma said.

"Yeah well it's a little too late for that isn't it? I'm already here so might as well." She said.

"Alright then. Ogre send in SDF intelligence." Koenma said into an intercom. With in minutes three SDF members entered one with a clip board in hand ready to take everything down.

"I'll tell you where you can find Yoko Kurama if you take down my terms first." Mayumi stated.

"Name them." The commanding officer said nodding to his lieutenant to take it down.

"First I must be given protection as long as Yoko still breathes. Secondly my record is to be wiped clean and I am to be left alone." Mayumi said reading what was written afterwards to make sure it had been taken down and she was not being deceived.

"Yoko Kurama can be found in the southern part of the Makai where the border meets to the Reikai. The entrance to his den is heavily guarded by a tangle tree which has already been fed this week so if you act quickly it will not cause you any trouble."

"I know that place." The sergeant said suddenly surprised that she had gone past there so many times and never noticed anything.

"Great doing business with you Ms. Taisho now if you'll excuse us we have this matter to take care of." The commander said speeding off with his men close behind. Mayumi trembled as she watched them anxiously run off.

"Hey are you alright?" Botan asked from behind her. Mayumi wiped a hand across her forehead and nodded.

"Yeah I'm f-fine…" Mayumi said feeling her head swim. She blinked her eyes a few times as her vision blurred. She could hear Koenma calling out to her as if from far away before her world went black.