Hiei and Ku-chan quickly disappeared into the darkness beyond the open doorway, leaving the three other demons behind; the fire-demon had rushed after the fox cub so automatically that his other companions barely knew what had happened for a few moments. When they realized, they ran toward the threshold as well, but just as suddenly at the double door opened it shut, and the three had barely enough warning to stop—in fact Yusuke didn't stop in time and ran right into the door.

"Damn it!"

"That must've hurt." Kurounue stared at Yusuke, who clutched his nose muttering curses not quite under his breath, and placed his hand over his mouth trying hard not to laugh.

"…Let's go back to trying the window." Youko walked away from the door and back in view of the one open window, shaking his head instead of laughing it wasn't time for humor, it was time to be serious. "I guess not."

"Huh?" Kurounue turned to look at Youko, stilling his urge to laugh at Yusuke who grew angry at even the most stifled of Kurounue's chuckles. "Youko, what is it?"

"See for yourself." The Spirit Fox grimaced, motioning to the upper windows to their left, and waited for his two companions to notice.

"Wha…? Bullshit…."

"He had to close the window, too?"

"Now how do we get in?"

"Break in."

Meanwhile on the other side of the door, Hiei glanced back once when the door shut, but had no time to think about it since Ku-chan continued to run forward through what seemed an endless hall. Heavily shadowed, with the only lights spread out with no less than fifteen and as much as twenty feet between each, the hallway provided Hiei an obstacle in his strive to keep up with Ku-chan—he could only track the fox cub by the pitter-patter of footsteps running across the bare floor.

"Ku-chan, come back here!" He shouted into the darkness un-eased by the silence that shrouded him. Ku-chan had stopped running. "Ku-chan?" Hiei spoke again, his tone almost as quiet as the silence.

Hiei.

"Who?" He backed away, unsure whether to continue on or wait—he definitely sensed someone nearby, but strangely it wasn't through their aura. Some how he knew someone was there even though he used none of his senses.

I don't want you to get hurt or be hurt. The silent voice spoke again; its originator, Hiei could sense, was right behind him. Vaguely this voice was familiar to Hiei, and he didn't fear it—actually he relished it. You should turn back now.

"Not without Ku-chan. I want to know who he is."

Sometimes it's better not to get what you want.

Soft and delicately two smooth hands touched Hiei's arms, enticing him to close his eyes as he felt the gentle touch on his flesh and his soul. The touch whelmed through him and he remembered the voice he heard in his mind the day he found the fox cub—the day he tried to end his life.

That day the voice had said 'No, don't do it', carrying a sweet, calm passion in its words—not spoken in the ears but through the soul, overwhelming and complete. Today it was the same feeling, its words were neither command nor request—just a pleading—the desperate begging of someone hoping to spare someone unneeded pain or heartache, but unable to force them to.

Hiei didn't know what to do, should he continue to follow Ku-chan and maybe find out his identity or should he do what the voice pleaded he do, and leave? Slowly his resolve to find Ku-chan faded; he lately felt only dread when the idea that he may find out who the fox cub was, cropped up, something warned him against it. But he needed to know.

The presence behind him seemed to sense this, and Hiei felt warm, gentle lips kiss the back of his neck, soft and feathery. Something about this caress calmed Hiei into a tranquil state and erased all of his fears and worries—situating brief warmth within and throughout his heart.

But this slight symbol of passion was brief, and the touch of soft lips left Hiei's skin a split-second after making contact. Opening his eyes, Hiei sighed and turned to see who was behind him, but the person backed into the shadows, obscuring the fire-demon's view.

"Let me see your face."

No.

"I want to know who you are."

Who I am and what form I inhabit are two different things.

"That doesn't matter; show yourself." Hiei replied, stepping toward the shadows—he wanted to know who the person was, and why he hid from him.

It would matter to you.

"…." On the verge of shouting, Hiei narrowed his eyes frustrated that the person in shadows could see him while Hiei couldn't see the person.

Before Hiei could do anything to voice his anger whoever hid in the shadows rushed past him and down the hall, a blur of black in his vision. By the time he looked to where the person ran, he was alone in the endless corridor, nothing but the varying degrees of light and darkness in his sight. Left alone in the dark (both literally and figuratively) Hiei sighed and continued forward, walking farther along the corridor.

Meanwhile sneaking into a room cloaked by deep shadow with the only light that of the full moon shining through the window glass, Ku-chan looked warily about as though searching for someone or something. Inching carefully forward the fox cub froze at the sight of a figure dressed completely in black standing in the moonlight and staring out the window.

"You've made it, I see."

Yes, I made it. Ku-chan spoke with his thoughts, growling as he did so, his eyes glistening with intense hatred and anger. Give me back MY body!

"Your body? Heh, I think you're mistaken, this body's mine."

Liar, thief! You stole that body with the Necros orb, I belong in that body, and it's I who should've been revived in it! Ku-chan rushed forward ready to attack the person standing in the moonlight, raging like a demon until the figure turned around.

"Why, brother, you are quite mistaken." The figure dressed all in black smirked, his long black hair falling slightly over blazing red eyes that glistened with amusement at the shock in the fox cub's eyes.

Karai! You reverted yourself to your original form, why?

"He did so, on my orders, Karasu." A different voice spoke from behind the fox cub, a voice very similar to Karai's. "I told him everything. But you're the one who convinced him."

What!

"I didn't believe him at first that he revived in your body instead of you. But you just admitted to it." Karai, in his never seen original form, spoke calmly, staring intensely at Karasu in the fox cub's body, his red eyes fiery.

I see you got smarter by returning to your original form, brother. Or did your friend here help you out? Karasu seethed, turning to stare intently at the figure behind him—the true thief of his body.

"It's over Karasu."

Urr…who the hell are you anyway? You're that wretch fox aren't you!

"I prefer the name Shuuichi."

Wha…? You are the fox.

"Only a part, the third and final part actually. After Kurama's most recent death, three personalities separated into three souls; Kurama, Youko, and me, Shuuichi." The figure, the Shuuichi part of the soul in Karasu's body, spoke in a polite tone and paused for the information to sink in. "While Kurama and Youko know about each other, they don't know about me. I've kept silent about my existence until now."

You…you're the one who reincarnated into the fox cub!

"Yes, I've been three steps ahead of you this whole time; I'm awfully glad that that attribute bestowed itself on me during the separation. I've thwarted your plan because of it."

Karasu growled, his eyes gleaming with hatred and frustration—he was defeated, unless….

Karai! You wouldn't let him kill the only one who can tell you where Hinansho, would you?

"He already told me where to find Hinansho." Karai replied, stepping toward Karasu who froze at those words.

How…?

"I've been able to read your thoughts and memories while I shared the same body with you. I learned a lot of useful stuff." Shuuichi spoke, pausing for a few moments before continuing. "You trapped Hinansho in the barrier between the Human and Demon realms, that's why Karai couldn't revive him and ended up reviving Kurounue instead."

You…you annoying bastard, I'll kill you! Karasu bristled and rushed up to Shuuichi, forgetting that the boy was inhabiting his body.

Before he could sink his teeth into the body's flesh, someone rushed up to him and stopped him, holding his mouth shut tightly.

So what did you readers think? Surprised? If you read the few previous chaptersclosely you would have discovered that I never mentioned Karasu's name while describing the mansion scenes, only when I wrote the scenes with Yusuke and the others did I mention his name and that's because they believed it was really Karasu. Anyway, this part of the story is almost finished, about two more chapters or so, and then I'll start either writing the next part, or work on some of my other stories. (This story and 'To Say Goodbye' were the ones I worked on the most so far.) Please, if you're fans of Yu-gi-oh as well as Yu Yu Hakusho fans, read and review my other stories.(I'm eventually planning on making a YYH/YGO crossover where Pegasus and Kurama become a couple(!)) Anyway, if you have any ideas for crossover couples please tell me! Read my profile to know what animes I watch and tell me which ones you want me to write fanfics about.