(August 10, 2005) I just got an email saying that this site no longer allows people to reply to reviews within the chapters of their stories. That's stupid. So you can't complain if I don't reply...
Anyways, I did finish writing this story yesterday, woohoo... And this chapter is shorter than the last one, I think... and I have 42 reviews. How sweet is that... Forty-two reviews on one chapter. At that rate, I'll have 210 at the end of this story. Awesomeness. So, thank you for reviewing and keep up the feedback! I love reading reviews. Really, I do.
Also, I think I'm going down to my dad's tomorrow, and I dunno when I'll be back... Probably Sunday? So you can expect a chapter around then... And I can expect to have like, 50 emails when I get home... Yippee.

CHAPTER TWO
Lesson Two: Always Have A Plan

"This sucks."

"I noticed."

"I'm tired."

"Sleep."

"I hate you."

"I hate you. It's your fault we're like this."

"Mine! How is it mine? You're the one who tried to strangle him!" Shadow snapped. Eclipse glared over at her.

"That's not what I meant! I meant it's your fault we were kidnapped! You trusted the bastard!"

"He's very trustworthy! It's not my fault he's lusting after your boyfriend! Everyone lusts after Kurama, deep down inside. Even Hiei! You're just the lucky little bitch who gets to be the one he lusts after too."

Eclipse sighed. "It's a gift and a curse."

"My nose is itchy."

"Scratch it."

"Shut up you hoebag! You know I can't!" She thrashed violently against the bindings holding her to the wall. Her wrists were out to the sides, and her legs were shoulder-width apart, shackled to the wall at her ankles. Eclipse was enjoying the same treatment. Kokuei was sitting in the corner with a heavy metal collar around her neck and a heavy chain holding her to the wall. It was a miracle she could stand up with all that weight. Fortunately for her, though, she had enough slack to wander most of the room, unlike the psycho girls. Just so long as she didn't get near the door. It was a safety precaution, Karasu had said as he chained up the still-groggy dog about fifteen minutes after running away from Shadow. To avoid any unwanted amputation and or organ removal. And, of course, because if Kokuei touched the warded door, she'd be zapped and probably die, he'd added as an afterthought.

They'd been away from Shadow's house for about four hours now. They could only hope the tantei had gotten back from their mission and started to worry.

The door opened and Karasu walked in.

"Are you both doing okay?"

Eclipse made some noncommittal pissed-off growly groan noise. Kokuei sighed and looked at him unhappily without moving her head. Shadow was looking at him quizzically.

"So what is the benefit of having me here?" she asked.

Karasu shrugged.

"So why don't you just let me go?"

"I want to keep you here. I like you."

"Well, I'm honored. But if you really liked me... I WOULDN'T BE CHAINED TO THE WALL LIKE THIS!" she screamed, thrashing around wildly. She smacked her head against the wall and her vision blurred momentarily. "Ow..."

The crow smiled a bit. "I wanted to talk to you anyway, Shadow. Promise me you won't try to run."

"Run? Of course I won't run. I'm chained to a wall."

"No, I meant I want to talk to you in private. I want to unchain you and take you upstairs. Do I have to bind your wrists and blindfold you to make sure you won't run for it?"

"I won't run. But only 'cause you've got my dog."

Eclipse frowned. "I feel the love."

"And also because Eclipse is here," Shadow added as the crow walked closer. He kicked the shackles on her ankles and they popped open, then he moved to her wrists, pulling a key out of his pocket and opening the shackles there.

"Come with me."

"Bye Eclipse." She went over and petted Kokuei where she sat. "I'll be back, Kokuei, don't you worry your little head about me." She skipped away, ignoring the dog's displeased look. Karasu shut the door behind her and led her up the spiral stairs. He led her through various hallways. The upstairs halls were much less dungeon-like than the downstairs ones. Everything was made of stone and undecorated except for the occasional torch, and the carpet on the floor. It was all much cleaner than the downstairs. But, like downstairs, it all looked pretty much the same.

"Where are we going?" Shadow asked.

"You'll see," Karasu replied calmly. She shrugged and stuck her hands in her pockets, following him until he stopped outside a door that was identical to all the others they'd passed. He opened it and stood aside to let her in. "Ladies first."

Shadow cautiously stepped into the room. It looked like it was made for royalty. Canopy bed, ornate furniture of all sorts, and everything in shades of red, purple, and gold. From what she'd seen of this place, it was like they were in an old stone castle, like the ones in England. But from what she knew of the terrain surrounding her home, there was no English castle an hour's drive and twenty minutes' walk away from her house.

"Where is this place?"

"It's not your concern. Sit down." He gestured to the bed. She sat down in the middle with her legs and arms crossed.

"Okay, you have some explaining to do, bitch," she said, eyes narrowed. "I assume that's why you brought me up here?"

"Partly. Shadow... I need your help."

She blinked. "With what?"

"You won't be happy."

"Kurama?"

"Well... sort of."

"Just spit it out!"

"I want you to help me get over Kurama."

Shadow's eyes widened. "Oh yeah?"

"Yes."

"You're sure?"

He hesitated, then nodded. Shadow smiled. "That's good!" Then she looked at him suspiciously. "But how the hell am I supposed to help?"

"Well that's the thing..." He sat next to her. "You're beautiful, Shadow."

"Yeah... and?"

"I just thought... You know... That you'd be able to... maybe... give me something Kurama can't."

"Oh? OH! No way!" She leapt off the bed in a second. "Me and my body belong to Hiei and I'm not going to do anything sexual with you."

"But there's no other way, is there? Either I take Kurama, or I take you!"

"Why don't you take that Ryosei lackey of yours?"

"I already did," Karasu muttered dejectedly. "But it wasn't the same. I couldn't get Kurama out of my mind!"

"But I thought you wanted to kill Kurama!"

"I can't kill him! It's just not right!"

"But you like to kill things you love!"

"I realized that was a stupid philosophy!"

"Well stop it!"

Karasu looked confused. Shadow crossed her arms and went into lecture mode.

"I admire that you want to get over him. But you clearly have no idea how to go about it. Having sex with me will not help you. I do not want to have sex with you. Kurama does not want youat all. Just appreciate that you have friends. Appreciate that Kurama doesn't try to kill you every time he sees you. Appreciate that he can be in the same room with you and not be ready to rip out your throat with every move you make. And let me and Eclipse and Kokuei go home without any hard feelings. You're being very foolish, Karasu."

"But Shadow-!"

She walked over and sat on the bed next to him again. "Maybe you should go back to Makai. You've changed a lot since you were revived. I think it would do you good."

"But... Kurama..."

"Kurama has his life under control. You need to get yours under control." She put an arm around his shoulders. "You can't let your emotions push you around. You need to be in control. If you're going to make decisions, don't base them on the people around you; base them on what you feel like doing. For example, if I were to be as in control of my emotions as I claim to be, I would be able to just up and leave Hiei whenever I felt like it. But you see, I let my emotions influence me and now I'm stuck with him. I could never leave Hiei, because my emotions would probably rip me apart from the inside, out."

"But you're happy."

"What?"

"You're happy with Hiei."

"Yes, but that's not the point I'm making. When I committed to him, I lost my freedom. If I hadn't committed to Hiei, I would have sex with you right here and now. As it is, you'll have to settle for a kiss. And he'll be pissed if he ever finds out." She pushed the crow down on the bed and kissed him passionately. When she pulled away from the stunned--and now horny--demon, she glared. "Mention a word of this to Hiei and I'll kill you."

He nodded mutely. She continued sitting on him, looking thoughtful. "You're not going to start lusting after me, are you? I mean, I'm honored to be like, the next best thing to Kurama, or whatever you seem to think I am, but while Kurama tolerates you, if you start wanting my body, Hiei will kill you. And I will maim your corpse."

Again, he nodded, looking slightly frightened. Shadow smiled. "So what have you learned today?"

"You're really scary."

Shadow cracked up laughing. "Yes, thank you. But that wasn't the point of the LECTURE you forced me to think up!"

"I should get over Kurama, move on with my life, and harassing you won't help me do that."

"Good job."

"But I can't get over him!"

"You know, I'm sure there are plenty of beautiful demons in Makai. Why go after a human?"

"He's Youko Kurama!"

"He hates you! You know, I went back in time once and met this really beautiful demon. His name was Sesshoumaru. He was so much better than Kurama. I bet he's still alive. You should go to Makai and try to find him. I wonder how he'd handle sexual advances from a male."

"How did he handle them from a female?" Karasu asked nervously.

"Well, I didn't really make any sexual advances."

"...Oh."

"But I bet he'd totally murder you if you touched him."

"Oh."

"So maybe you shouldn't look for him. How about..." She thought for a minute. "How about you just go to Makai and see what you can find? Surely you've seen beautiful demons in Makai before."

"Of course I have. I killed most of them."

Shadow frowned. "That is no way to go about seducing someone!" she admonished. "And all that creepy dirty talk you were shooting at Kurama during the Ankoku Bujutsukai was a lousy attempt at seduction too. Some people like pain, but only clinically depressed people would like you for killing them. And also freaks who think like you about the whole... soul departing from the body et cetera, et cetera, intimacy thing... What the hell makes you think that, anyway?"

"It's not physical. Physical intimacy is limited."

"THEN WHY DO YOU WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH KURAMA!"

"Because I DO like sex, just like any other demon! It's limited, I know, but sometimes I'd rather have sex with someone than kill them. And I want to have sex with Kurama! Maybe after I've satisfied my body's lust, I'll satisfy my soul's!"

"Oh! Okay! So you mean you'll have sex with him, then after you've shared that moment of undescribable pleasure with him, you'll murder him? Did you ever think of how HE might feel about that! Maybe Kurama WANTS to live a little longer! He has a family, friends, Eclipse, a life, school, all that to worry about! And how is DYING intimate for HIM! He's dead! How do you think he'd feel after that!"

"He could come back."

"No he couldn't! He has the soul of Youko Kurama! He wouldn't come back the SAME unless they tore Youko's soul out of him while he was just peachy keen and happily screwing some sexy demon chick in Makai, and stuck it into a body! And we all know they won't do THAT! And besides! I'm sure there's all kinds of paperwork and shit Koenma would have to go through if he were to do that! So, no, he could never come back! You would kill him just to satisfy yourself? You would make your greatest love suffer like that?"

"...No."

"Good!"

"But I still want to have sex with him."

"Well at least you don't want to kill him anymore. That's a start." She got off him and let him get up from the bed. "I'm sure you have a lot to think about. Is there anything else you need from me?"

"I don't think so." He walked her to the door and opened it, and there stood Ryosei, awaiting orders. "Take her back downstairs."

It took the tantei quite some time to get out of the corn field. Longer than it had taken them to get thoroughly lost in it in the first place, considering how all it had taken was a few low class demons running around erratically to get them completely and totally lost without them even realizing it.

But finally, they got out of the field and made their way home.

Yusuke and Kuwabara went to their own houses, but Kurama followed Hiei home. He'd left Eclipse at Shadow's, so there was no reason to think she'd have left already. They were only gone for a few hours.

Oddly enough, though, no screamy squealy fanatically happy girls greeted them at the door with vice-grip hugs and passionate kisses. No girls were sleeping in the living room, where they'd been left. They weren't in the kitchen, the dining room, downstairs, upstairs, outside, or in fact, anywhere to be found.

"Maybe they went to Eclipse's," Kurama suggested, shrugging it off.

"Why would they bother?" Hiei replied, opening a few random doors as they stood in the second floor hall. He had the grave misfortune of opening the door with the weasels behind it.

It had barely been open for a second when a white weasel came flying out and lunged up, digging her little claws into his stomach and scurrying up to his shoulder.

"Get off me!" he snapped. She made a chittery angry noise as he grabbed her and dug her claws into his skin. "Damn rodent! Get off!"

Inside the room, Norman lunged off a raised pedestal and ran through the mass of weasels, coming out the other side flanked by two normally-colored weasels on each side.

"Hiei, be nicer. Maybe she'll leave you alone then," Kurama suggested.

"No! Being nice will just encourage her."

Norman zipped up Hiei's back, carefully avoiding digging his claws into the demon's skin, lunged from about halfway down Hiei's back, and tackled Daisy. Hiei jerked his hand away quickly as the blue weasel slammed into her and sent her sliding down off his shoulder, leaving scrapes down his chest but managing to stop on his abs. Norman dug his claws into her so he wouldn't tumble onto the floor. Daisy couldn't let go to defend herself or she'd fall to the weasel minions waiting below.

"I take it she's not popular amongst her own kind, either?" Kurama asked.

"Obviously not," Hiei muttered, wincing slightly as the claws dug deeper into his flesh. "I'm getting more injuries from this god damned weasel than I did fighting demons!"

Norman finally managed to dislodge Daisy both of them were sent tumbling down to the floor. The four weasels who'd flanked the weasel lord over jumped on her the second he was out of the way. Kurama was comically reminded of people wrestling a crocodile...

The four weasels dragged Daisy through the door and out of sight. Norman saluted Hiei before turning and scurrying back after them. The fire demon quickly shut the door.

"Dammit," he muttered, looking at his chest.

"C'mon," Kurama sighed. "Typical that you get hurt more at home than you do on missions. Judging by the looks of Daisy, she's a walking infection just waiting to happen."

"Great." Hiei trailed after Kurama to the infirmary, where he stripped off his shirt and let the fox clean his cuts. While he did that, they speculated on where their girlfriends could possibly be.

"We didn't check Eclipse's," Kurama said. "Maybe they're there. Maybe Eclipse had some brilliant solution to their boredom."

"You'd think Shadow would be the one to do that. She's the one with rooms that lead to anything you could possibly want... Ow!"

"Sorry. You wouldn't think weasels would cause such deep cuts."

"Did you see the great hygeine of that particular weasel? She looked like she was falling apart. So her claws were probably abnormally long too. It's like she's the outcast hobo weasel."

"And she loves you."

"Don't remind me. Ow! That stings!"

"Sor-ry." Kurama dabbed a bit more alcohol on the cuts before bandaging them up. Hiei sighed.

"Call Eclipse's house."

"Why? You can't stand me?"

"She'll want to know you're back, won't she?"

"You have a point." He grabbed Hiei's discarded shirt and handed it to him, pulling out his cell phone from his pocket. He dialed Eclipse's home phone number and waited. Her father answered, and told him Eclipse was at Shadow's house.

"Oh. Thank you, sir. Good-bye," he said politely, and hung up. Hiei looked at his thoughtful face with confusion.

"What is it?"

"Her father says she's here."

"Maybe she's just on her way home. Doesn't she have a cell phone?"

"Yeah... I have her number in here somewhere... She just got it recently so I haven't memorized the number yet." He grinned at his friend. Hiei rolled his eyes. After a minute, the redhead put his phone to his ear and waited for an answer.

Shadow was following along behind Ryosei innocently, watching the fascinating identical stone bricks go by.

"You know," she said, jogging a couple steps to catch up, "it's been a long time since I felt the love of a man."

Ryosei faltered in his step, stopped, and turned to look at her. "What?"

Her arms went around his neck and she continued seductively, "You're so strong and handsome, Ryosei-san. I know you can give me what I want."

"What are you talking about? Don't try to fool me. Karasu-sama told me all about your relationship with Hiei." He didn't sound too sure of himself.

"I'm only using Hiei. You are the kind of man I could really love."

"You... You don't love Hiei?"

"Hmmmm," she hummed, kissing his neck. She put her leg between his and gently rubbed his inner thigh.

"Ohh... Y-you shouldn't..." He gasped as she rubbed higher, right against his crotch.

"You really are hot, Ryosei."

SLAM!

She kneed him. He fell and she took off running.

"GET BACK HERE!" he screamed, attempting to get up and failing miserably.

Once she'd reached the dungeons, she realized she had no idea how to get out of the building. And another thing occured to her.

The leather ward around her neck couldn't be removed.

Then ANOTHER thing occured to her.

She didn't have the keys for the shackles holding Eclipse.

Then it occured to her... y'know... Every girl for herself.

She ran straight past the dungeon Eclipse and Kokuei were in, and found the next set of stairs leading upwards. Taking those, she found herself somewhere she had never been before. But that was okay. If she were to take anything from her previous experiences of getting lost while pursued, it would be that she typically didn't end up with the predicted results, but the result she got instead was usually okay too.

So she just kept running, up stairs, down stairs, down halls, up halls, through rooms, until she suddenly found herself sprawled on her ass on the ground. She'd run into something. Something tall, and black, and frowning.

"Oh! Hi Karasu!"

"Shadow, I'm very disappointed in you."

"I figured you would be." She got up and dusted herself off. "So... It's back to the dungeon, yes?"

"Yes." He grabbed her arm and led her back to the dungeon. She didn't struggle; in fact, she strolled along like it was no big deal, smiling and everything. The crow was locking the last shackle back into place when a goofy little song started playing from Eclipse's direction. Her eyes widened momentarily, then narrowed and darted around suspiciously.

"What's that?" she asked sharply, attempting to cover up for herself.

Karasu slowly turned to face her. Shadow was happily swinging her head from side to side with a frighteningly too-happy smile on her face as she 'danced' to the cell's ring tone.

"This may work out better than I'd expected." He smirked. "What better way to deliver the news of your capture?" His pale fingers slid into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Looking at the display, he grinned. "Well if it isn't your beautiful boyfriend, Eclipse." He paused. "On second thought..."

"ANSWER IT BEFORE HE HANGS UP, DAMMIT!" Eclipse screamed.

"Ryosei!"

The half-demon appeared in the doorway.

"Answer this. Sound threatening."

"What do I tell him?"

"Two days from now at midnight. Come alone. Give him directions to the drop-off point. You'll meet him there."

Ryosei answered. "Hello, Kurama."

"Who is this!" Kurama asked, startled. Hiei's head snapped up and he looked at the fox with alarm.

"We have your precious girlfriend. And Shadow, too."

The fox's mind started racing. "Who are you?"

"That's not important, Kurama. If you want them back, you will come alone. Two days from now, at midnight." He gave him directions to the 'drop-off point,' the place where he had stopped driving when he'd abducted the girls. "That's about an hour of driving time from Shadow's house, so you would be wise to leave in time. They are unharmed, and will remain that way, as long as you follow my instructions."

"What do you want?"

"Just that. Come alone." He smirked.

Shadow very abruptly realized she was dancing to music that didn't exist anymore and hadn't for about five minutes and stopped swinging her head around. She looked at the phone and made another brilliant plan.

"KURAMA! KURAMA! DON'T COME ALONE! HE WANTS TO--Mmmph!"

Karasu smacked his hand over her mouth. "Shhhh. You don't want me to be even more cross with you, do you?" he whispered. She shook her head. Then she narrowed her eyes and bit his finger.

"I shouldn't care if you're mad at me, bitch!"

Karasu glared. "You're in for a beating if you don't cool it, girl."

Kokuei started barking fiercely. Eclipse yelled into the phone, "I love you, Kurama!"

Ryosei frowned. "I believe that's all the assurance of their well-being that you need, Kurama. Come alone. Good-bye."

He snapped the phone shut, effectively ending the call. Karasu glared at Shadow, but before he could say anything, she asked, "Why two days from now?"

"I need some time," the crow answered. "Maybe with your help, I'll be able to get over him before he shows up."

"Ha," Eclipse said bitterly.

"I doubt it," Shadow said, "but we can certainly try to make you see how many flaws Kurama has. However... considering your level of lovesickness, there is no cure apart from him loving you back. Or him killing you."

"I'll love Kurama even in death."

"Well, in that case, there is no cure whatsoever, and any attempt I make at curing you is a fool's errand. I'm really hungry right now, though, Karasu. Oh, by the way, Ryosei, how are your... family jewels faring?"

The boy frowned.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. But... you know. Whatever works. And I wasn't lying about you being hot, if that makes you feel any better."

"It really doesn't, but thanks for trying."

"I'm hungry!" Eclipse said. "Give me food or I'll die and Kurama will hate you! More than he already does!"

"Fine. You'll get food in a little bit. Ryosei, let's go."

The kidnappers left, shutting the door and once again plunging the girls into nearly complete darkness.

Yay...
Also... I'm on a music quest. Does anyone have any recommendations? Not rap, and not country... and not classical stuff, either. Or opera. But otherwise I'll pretty much listen to anything. I'm not too picky. I mostly prefer rock and heavy metal and such... Music is extremely helpful in helping me think, you know. And you know that when I think, you get stories. So... start suggesting! XD