Hey everyone! Happy to see me?

(Crickets chirping)

Hello? Anyone there?

UK runs up out of the darkness: "Hey! Sorry I'm late!"

Oh, that's ok. So, my Number One Fan is here!

UK looks around: "Um, cakes, looks like I'm your ONLY fan."

Yeah well...while you're here, ya want to do the disclaimer?

"Sure. The only one that owns YYH is Togashi and his peeps. We don't, especially not SillyLittleNothing. Cause that would just be bad."

Hey!

"On with the story."

Right!

The gang continues to stare at Rika for a moment before Genkai speaks up, "You are not surprised by the Spirit World Prince's appearance?"

Rika shakes her head, "No, I almost expected this."

"What do you mean, 'almost expected?' How could you expect any of this?" Yusuke questions.

Rika sighs and looks down slightly, studying the floor just in front of the desk, "I can not really explain. To be honest, I don't know why I'm not surprised. I should be, after all, my life is in the hands of someone who looks like they're barely potty trained."

Koenma's face reddens but before he can say anything Rika interrupts him, "I said looks like, Lord Koenma. I meant no disrespect. Please understand that these past few days have been rather difficult."

Koenma studies the young woman for a moment, noticing that she's fiddling with a silver bracelet on her right hand and that her left arm is still in a sling. He nods his head in understanding, "Tell me, Rika, what is it that you can do?"

Rika sighs and looks back up at Koenma, "I'm not entirely certain. I know that I can discern truth from lies. Sometimes I can see straight through a lie and know the truth in its entirety; sometimes I can not. Apparently the bracelet allows me to visit other realms or dimensions. That's really the only thing that can explain what happened last night. The boys say that my body remained, but I do not know how it is possible for me to bring back objects or injuries. Apparently unconsciousness is what controls it though. I could not leave that realm until I passed out, so at very least that means that I don't have to worry about going there while I'm talking to you."

Koenma nods, "Do you suppose you would be able to take someone with you?"

Rika shakes her head, "I doubt that. While I was with Rumiko, I remembered what happened here; but it was hazy, like a dream would be. After a few moments in that world, I became quite sure that this one HAD been a dream. Though I realized when we were attacked again that this was not the case," she sighs, a forlorn look crossing her face. "I also know that neither Kurama nor Hiei are human. And Yusuke is very different as well. Kuwabara I know is simply psychic, or has heightened awareness. But the other three," Rika stops altogether and simply looks at the boys in question.

Koenma frowns slightly, "You can tell difference between demons and humans?"

Rika shrugs and looks over at Genkai, "I wouldn't say that precisely. It's more like I can tell they're hiding something and that it has to do with who and what they are. I can feel the dislike that Hiei has for me, though this is mostly because he tries to cover it somewhat. Like you, Koenma," she turns toward him, "Outwardly you hide the fact very well, but because you hide it I can see that I have baffled you. You simply don't know what to do with me. And because of that, my life may very well be in danger here."

Koenma stares at her for a moment, not saying anything. Genkai steps forward, "She also has premonitions."

Rika shakes her head, "I don't know that you can call them premonitions. I have dreams that may sometimes hold the truth of the future. Such as the ones with Rumiko. But you are speaking of what happened with you earlier. True, it was an image that I saw, but hardly something of the future. What happened with you could not be changed. When one receives a premonition they either have the ability to influence or change it completely. Had I known where my dreams of Rumiko's death had taken place, then I could have prevented it by never coming to Japan at all. Unfortunately, it seems as though my dreams were merely to prepare me for the event."

"Is that why you're all functional and stuff?"

Everyone looks at Kuwabara who had just spoken. Yusuke shakes his head, "How is it that you can sound so smart and so stupid all in the same sentence?"

Kuwabara just shrugs and turns back to Rika, "Well?"

Rika sighs and looks down at her left hand, fiddling with her fingers, "When one dreams of death for years, it is hard not to be somewhat numb to it. My brother's death still hurts," she pauses to regain control of her voice which is trying to crack as tears flood her eyes, "But I knew this was going to happen. I knew I would lose him and watch him die just as I knew I was watching my parents die."

"Your parents? What happened to them?" Genkai asks.

"My father died of cancer and my mother allowed herself to completely waste away after he died. She starved herself to death."

The group stares at Rika while Genkai and Koenma appear to be in deep thought, "Have you any other siblings?"

Rika turns her head to Kurama, "No. Rumiko was my last relative. My entire family has literally been dying off these past 5 years."

"It all started when you were 19?"

Rika answers Kurama with a nod, then looks at Koenma, "I do not know what you intend to do with me. But know this. As one who sees the truth, I can not deny it."

Koenma just stares ather for a moment before he looks to Genkai. She shakes her head and looks up at Rika, "Explain."

Rika sighs and allows her right arm to drop to her side, "I've always had trouble lying to people, especially ones I know. Now however, I seem to be incapable of even the smallest lie."

Koenma raises a tiny eyebrow, "And you know this how?"

The woman gives a small, sheepish smile, "I've already tried lying to you several times. The truth is what came out though, despite my efforts."

"What did you try to lie about?"

Rika looks up at the ceiling, "What family I have left, premonitions, and the death of my parents."

"Why lie about those things?" Hiei asks.

Rika looks down at him, shock clearly written on her features, "I have my reasons."

"Answer me."

Rika simply looks away, not wanting to say what she's thinking. Suddenly she drops to her knees as her mind feels as though someone is digging into it. Cradling her head in her hands, Rika fights to push them out.Surprisingly they are shoved forcefully from her thoughts, and Rika can actually feel walls going up to keep them out. She looks up to see everyone around her, except for Hieiwho stands to one side, eyes closed.

Rika tries to catch her breath when she realizes she's panting. Yusuke and Kurama help her to stand, and have to support her to keep her from falling again.

"What the hell was that?" Rika asks. Her head is spinning now: exhaustion, fear, and anger are her outermost thoughts. But the attack has left her with a head ache and the need to sleep. Not thinking, Rika rests her head on Yusuke's shoulder and closes her eyes, forgetting that Kurama is still beside her. She can hear others talking, but she ignores them as a new sensation sweeps through her mind. Someone else is there, inside the walls. Their touch is deft and gentle, carefully sifting through her thoughts and memories. Almost like someone straightening papers that had been shoved roughly across a desk. Rika opens her eyes as the feeling leaves and looks at Hiei who is staring at her.

"Hiei! Answer me! What happened?"

Hiei glares at the small ruler, "Do not raise your voice to me. Someone attacked her mind. They tried to destroy her memories while reading her thoughts. I forced them out and created a shield to keep them from gaining entrance again."

Koenma appeared bewildered, "Who would do that?"

Hiei directed his glare at Rika, "She doesn't know. And neither do I."

"Has this ever happened before?"

Rika looks up at Kurama, who directed the question. He shifts to stand more in front of her, and it is then she realizes that his arm is low on her waist. As he moves, his hand slides across the small of her back, but he makes no move to remove his arm completely. Rika forces herself to keep eye contact as she answers the question, "No."

"Then who would? More importantly, who would know that she's here that is capable of doing that?" Genkai asks.

"What do you mean Genkai?" Kuwabara questions.

"A telepath can not simply read minds from miles away. Many lower levels have to be touching the person, others have to have eye contact, or simply be able to see them. The strongest telepaths have to at least know where the target is, and must be able to have total concentration to affect them from any great distances. In other words, they would have to be meditating right now, and still know precisely where Rika is."

Kuwabara frowns, "So what happened to them when Hiei pushed them out?"

Genkai stares at Hiei, "It depends on how he did it. Either they have a head ache, they've lost their mind, or they're dead."

"With any luck he's dead. Though I doubt it." Hiei's voice is dry with sarcasm and anger.

"Why do it that way Hiei?" Genkai queries.

"Why allow someone that powerful to live if I have the chance to kill them?"

Genkai sighs at Hiei's answer and turns to Rika, "Well girl. Good luck. I have work to do." With that, she walks out the door of the office.

"Why did Hiei help me?" Rika wonders to herself, "It's obvious that he dislikes me. So why help?"

"I only helped you because the fox asked me to. Don't expect it to happen again."

Rika stares at the ground between her feet as she suppresses a shudder. She realizes then that Hiei now has total access to her thoughts. He put the wall up, so of course he could get around it. Her only hope to ever keeping sanity would be to make her own wall. She only has to learn how.