This chapter is dedicated to myself, because I recently had a birthday. I turned 21, and no one even asked about me drinking; which was totally kick-butt since I'm anti-alcohol.

It is also dedicated to the lovely people at Sony and Rockstar. Thank you for killing video games. 360 and Revolution is going to kick your ass this year, and the next, and the next.

The last chapter introduced a lot of unusual changes. No "Rescue Yukina" arc, no killing of Toguro, and making Hiei and Yukina actual twins. While no large events occur, this chapter is so incredibly important I can't even begin to stress the level.

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi. This is a fan-fiction using pre-existing characters in a pre-existing world that is not of my original creation.


Loan Me Life

By Zelia Theb

Thread VII

Any normal human being wouldn't have been able to sense that this was the day that changed everything. The day where the smallest choice; like what hairbrush to use in the morning; could lead to something as large as war. But they could sense it; along with the demons that were waiting for the "ferry" to Hanging Neck Island. The team was but a few steps away in the forest on the shore, and could already see the masses of demons that they would be competing against in this Dark Tournament.

"Almost there," Yusuke said, "I can sense Genkai. She said that she'd be meeting us there with our fifth team member."

"Uh…Urameshi?" Kuwabara remarked, senses having been heightened by rather quick impromptu training by his demon allies, "Fifth? I don't sense anyone with her…and since when do we need a fifth fighter?"

Kurama, who was striding between Kuwabara and Hiei, remarked, "Tournament rules, I'm afraid. We can only hope that the fighter is Genkai herself, or someone who has the right chemistry with the rest of us."

"It isn't Genkai," Hiei stated, speeding through the crowd and discovering the biggest disappointment of his life. There stood the haggard and elderly psychic Genkai, and next to her; standing no taller than Yusuke's Master; was the most familiar ice apparition. No longer was she adorned in the snow blue kimono of her race…but instead wore the apparel of a fighter.

"Pretty…" Kuwabara mumbled, oblivious to the glare of his shortest demon comrade. Kurama and Yusuke remained silent; did Genkai know that Yukina and Hiei were siblings? They were introduced to each other as the ship's poltergeist captain demanded everyone to board.

"I am Yukina," she smiled politely, "Very nice to meet you!"

"And I!" Kuwabara announced loudly, "Am Kazuma Kuwabara, your loyal team mate!" He took her hand in his, surprised at how cold it was to the touch, and uttered, "Your beauty is unmatched, m'lady. It is a pleasure to fight side by side with you."

Yusuke coughed, "Ahem, idiot…ahem…"

"Hey! Shut up Urameshi!" the tallest remarked, receiving several foul glares from not only his team members but the other "passengers" aboard the ship.

"Shut up, you idiots!" Genkai barked, "Get your asses to that railing and start observing your opponents!" She glanced at Hiei and Kurama, and said, "You should stand with them. You know how easily my idiot student gets distracted. Someone needs to stand guard."

Kurama chuckled at the woman's personality, and remarked, "Everything Yusuke said you would be."

"Hush," Genkai said, "This isn't the time for jokes."

"Hn." Hiei gazed at Yukina and said, "Then why did you bring her."

"Oh," Genkai sarcastically answered, "I guess you've just made her search for her brother all the easier."

Hiei hissed threateningly, "You'll not tell her, old woman…"

The psychic replied with a simple statement, annoyed by the lack of peace and quiet; "It's not my secret to tell, demon."


The hotel? Astonishing.

The island? Beautiful.

The demons? Plentiful.

Filthy rich humans? Everywhere.

Happy? No.

Not one bit.

His sister was the sweet girl who played with the birds in a snow-dusted field. His sister was pure and fragile; who's never witnessed the violence of fighting. Her mouth has never tasted the copper garnet of blood. The worst of it was…why she was there.

Because of him.

He hardly touched the complimentary coffee Yusuke brought for him. He was intent on listening to Yukina tell her story to the rest of the bunch; a group which seemed to acquire a transformed teenaged Koenma and a rather obnoxious Botan; from another room.

"To tell you all the truth, I've really never fought before!" Hiei clenched his left hand into a fist and banged it on the table lightly.

"Hmm…Yukina. Doesn't that bother you? Do you believe that you'll be ready for something like this?"

"Well…no…"

"Damn it…" Hiei muttered. He made a move to slam his fist down again, but Yusuke stopped it, placing his palm over the curled fingers in a consoling gesture.

"But I believe that what I'm fighting for will make me stronger!"

"Ohh! Yukiiina! You're so amazing!"

Yusuke gave the tightened hand a gentle squeeze, and said, "It's okay. The four of us can fight. You said she has healing powers, right? If I remember the rules correctly…"

"What I'm fighting for? Oh…well. I heard that my brother was a powerful fighter…. I thought that he might be here. I would know it when he fought! I just would!"

"You mean you don't know your brother! That's so sad for someone as sweet as you!"

"I don't…. But I want to find him!"

Hiei seethed under his breath, "That fox better not say one word." The detective brought his eyes up from their hands, and stared at Hiei. His look was intense and disjointed; separated from him and focused only on the words of the happy bunch in the main room adjoining their suites.

"I know that he is honorable, and handsome, and that he would never fight unless he had to."

"D'ya know what he looks like?"

"Kuwabara, you mustn't pry."

"Oh, Kurama, sir! It's no big deal! In fact, I think that he must look like me since we are twins."

"I've had enough of this, Detective," the estranged brother said, jerking his hand away from its precious hold, "When is our first match?"

As Yusuke made a move to speak, he heard Kuwabara enter the room, and shout, "Urameshi! Why aren't you guys out there?" Noticing the extremely perturbed expression upon 'shrimpy's' face, he whispered, "Hey, what's wrong with that guy?"

"Maybe you should try figuring out what's wrong with you, idiot," the demon sneered.

Kuwabara just wasn't in the mood to take that, and retorted, "I'm in love, and I don't need ta hear your crap, Hiei!"

"Pfft," Hiei returned, still not facing either of the human boys, "Yes. That must be it. Since you're acting like a complete circus clown."

"Hey! Shut up!" Kuwabara shouted again, "Sure, I mean, being in love does make people a little crazy sometimes, but that doesn't excuse what ya said! You've got no idea what love is so why don't ya just shut up?" The detective pondered breaking them up, but was most curious as to what Hiei would say in response.

"Hn. Why don't you enlighten me then, Oh Great Idiot," crimson eyes sarcastically requested, slanting for effect.

The tallest of the triad placed his hands on his hips and leaned over to say, "Fine! I will." He crossed his arms and began to define; what some call the hardest thing to define; the emotion of love.

"Love is when you can't keep your eyes off of them for even a second; and when you're not there, or can't, you still picture them in your head. Love is when you find yourself changing for the better because of that person."

Yusuke sipped at his creamy coffee; "Like rescuing someone you intended on kidnapping."

Almond brown eyes flinched; "Uhh, yeah. I guess that too!"

The teen put his coffee down; "Interesting."

"Love is when ya do stuff out of character and ya don't even care who's there to see it."

"Shut up," Hiei finally said.

"I'll get-"

"Boys!" yelled Botan, who intruded with the rest of the parade(1), "Stop arguing! Your first match is in two hours! You have to get ready!"

Yukina stepped forward from the back of the crowd, where she was barely seen due to her height, and asked her brother, "Hiei, sir? Would you mind if I watched as the two of you trained?" Her eyes fell to Yusuke and then back upon the red-eyed demon.

"We aren't tr-"

"Sure, Yukina," Yusuke said, standing, "Make sure that you keep an eye on how we move, all right?" The maiden nodded and smiled; an expression that both shook and broke Hiei's heart every time he witnessed it.

To Be Continued…

(1) Haha. Get it? Clown Parade? Okay. Maybe not. So overly witty that I just had to over-wit it and make it completely obscure. And then I had to be lame and let you know that I thought of that.


Author's Note

This chapter…is sad. As in really uneventful and very filler-like. Read as a single chapter; its quite boring. Once Thread VIII is up (which now that THIS boring stuff is out of the way, I can get to!), reading Thread VI-VII will make it much more exciting.

Basically, the story is entirely planned out now, and everything from here on in is critical. Thread VIII and/or Thread IX; I will warn you about. What am I warning about? Well, you'll see when the chapters are up.

The song in Thread VI was "Dead or Alive" …as sung by Yusuke Urameshi. Yup. It's still allowed (In my opinion) since the vocal tracks are meant to go with the series (the remix on Super Dance Mix is better than the original). This is also in the OVA (Which, by the way, Yusuke has a dream in it that he is married to Botan. Proves that Yusuke CAN dream about other people instead of Keiko).

Zelia