Kuwabara struggled against his bonds, but stayed quiet enough to listen to his captor's conversation, for they thought everyone had been knocked out by gas. His spiritual awareness and prowess had caused him to come to, probably hours before everyone else. So he waited.

"Do you think she will come?" A quiet, sinister voice asked.

"She will. We have bait she will not refuse." Another voice laughed, this one was deeper, arrogant.

Who's 'she'...?

"You call this bunch of third-rate humans 'bait'?" The first guy snorted, glancing around. "These humans are barely worth the trouble of drugging them."

"True." The second voice laughed. "Yurei'ha has changed... I regret to say, but not overly so." His voice lowered, almost softened. "She is still loyal to a fault. The only reason she left is because of that bastard traitor, Kangae." He spat out the name as if it tainted him just by saying it. "She will come." He whispered. "She will come."

You mean 'she has come'."

Kuwabara inwardly groaned. Yusuke. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Yurei'ha." The first voice hissed in surprise.

"Hebi." I raised an eyebrow. "I've heard many things about you." And most of them implied he was a cheating bastard that had no sense of honor or pride. He sucked up to those in power and was a complete coward completely capable of backstabbing. I glanced at the second guy. "Kumo..." God... Why...? My best friend's teacher? Why did he do this...?

"It's been a while, Yurei'ha." He nodded, his eyes boring into mine. His pain was evident.

"Why." I knew my voice was sharp, harsh. He flinched. He obviously did not want to do whatever they were doing.

"Sorry to break up this touching moment," Hebi interrupted. "But we have orders to bring you back."

I glared at him. "I. Am. Not. Going." My hand strayed towards my bells. Kumo was like his name with his threads. Shinkiro had originally taught me, but he had learned from Kumo, the Spider. He was deadly with his silken threads and various poisons. I glanced around; I could see the glint of his thread, encasing us. I sighed and rested my hand on the hilt of my sword.

"I'm sorry, Yurei'ha, but you don't go against the Shujin." No. You don't. Unless you have a death wish. You just do as you are told, no questions asked. The life of a hitokiri is no joy ride. You could be killed by your comrades just as easily as being killed by an enemy.

"I know, so I'll just kick your ass!" I leapt into the air. Dodging the threads, I landed. Leaping at him, I concentrated my aura on my hands. I couldn't have him interfering... There was a scream as Hebi fell to the floor, dead, my ghost blades buried in his corpse.

I glanced at Kumo. He looked nervous. I raised an eyebrow, then smirked. "What? Are you afraid of me?"

He just shook, his whole body trembling. I blinked. What was going on? I glanced behind me. No one... His eyes were on me. Fear was heavy in the air surrounding him. What was wrong with him...?

"Are you okay?" I asked, what was going on?

He just fell to his knees and threw up, still shaking. And probably in a cold sweat. Oh.

I sighed. I had slipped into Shidosha mode and hadn't even realized it. Drawing in my aura, I was back to normal by the time he stood up. My golden eyes had turned back to their normal brown hue and my face reverted from its death glare look. Though he was still shaking.

"You... Truly are one of the best, Yurei'ha." He laughed; it matched how steady he was standing. "Able to make a experienced hitokiri go into a blind panic... Just by staring them in the eye... Doku taught you well." He paused, not sure of how to continue.

"But, if you will not return, I have no choice." His eyes were grim. In other words, he'd kill me. As if he could, but... Rogue assassins held secrets that had to kept that way, and the hitokiri would do anything to protect them. But, considering the rogues were generally the most powerful of the hitokiri, many lives were lost, as a result.

I had wished it wouldn't come to this, too. "It looks like I don't either, then." I really didn't want to do this... But if it was going to be either him or me, I would rather it be him. Sorry, Shinkiro...

I pulled out the blade; the black flames surrounded it instantly. His eyes widened. "Those... flames... From the deepest pits of Spirit World... The Dragon... How...?"

I glanced at the blade. "I'm sorry, Kumo... But..." He glanced at the bells in his hand, grinned at me, and set them back in his pouch. He was too happy for someone about to die or kill someone else.

"Don't worry about it." His smile was cheery. What was he so happy about...? "I knew it would come to this. You truly haven't changed, Yurei'ha." I saw what was in his hand.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" I shouted as I ran towards him.

"Sorry, kid, but I can't go back if I fail... And I don't want to force you to have my blood on your hands." He laughed. "Take care of yourself, 'ha."

"KUMO!" I was inches from grabbing his knife when he stabbed himself. He fell back; I quickly knelt beside him, ready to use Spirit Energy to heal him, but... Tears fell when I saw that he had stabbed himself in the heart and twisted the knife, ripping the organ to pieces. His trademark assassination technique. Nothing could save the person once he had used it on them. Which meant... That... IDIOT.

After I cleaned up the mess, I left, or rather, I mostly cleaned it up, I turned to leave. I saw Kuwabara was awake. "Tell anyone, and you will regret saying anything."

He nodded. "So... Who was he anyway?"

I glanced at the ashes of where the corpse had been. "A friend."

Tiredly shoving my motorcycle into the garage I entered my house. Tossing the jacket, belt, and sword to the side, I locked the door behind me. Going upstairs, I turned on the hot water, full blast.

I let it pound on me as I closed my eyes. Why...? Why did everyone always die...? Shinkiro, Naifu, Kangae, Doku... Kumo... EVERYONE. I sank to my knees, tears mixing with the hot water. The scorching water hit my back, wave after wave. I turned it to freezing cold and nearly screamed at the temperature change. I gritted my teeth so I would not. I did not want Hiei barging in with me completely naked. I was not stupid. Despite common belief. As I shivered, I closed my eyes. The hitokiri would not be discouraged by this. Though Kumo had been one of the best Thread Masters, he was by no means one of the strongest hitokiri. In fact, if it was not for his Thread techniques, he would only be middle-class. They would send even stronger fighters next. Ones that had no emotional link to me. One that would not give a shit if I died. There were few of those, but all of those who were, they were strong. I rested my forehead against the cool tile of the shower. They would not hesitate to go after any one I cared for. Damn... This could, and probably would end up with half of the hitokiri Kyokai after my blood. And probably all of the Shidosha. I may be strong, I may be extremely strong, but if I had to go against over three of the other four Shidosha at once I would probably defeat them, but I could get killed. Quite easily. One mistake and I was pushin' daisies. And if the Shujin himself came after me... Or was it herself? Any way, I could probably win. I hope. No one has ever seen what he, or her, looks like. Not even the strongest or most trusted Shidosha. And that was saying something. We had access to everything else. And I do mean everything. No one has ever heard him/her speak either. All instructions are written. The Shujin lives in solitude, meditating and training. Must have one helluva of a social life. I don't think that he/she even leaves the Kyokai's base. Forget having a social life.

Damn it... I don't want to drag Ma, Keiko, or Kuwabara into this... This is my fight and mine alone. I suppose I could go to the Kyokai and see what would happen... Though I would probably end up killing every hitokiri in there as well as myself. Was there no way to get out of this besides ending it in a slaughter? I have, well, had, friends there. Heh... Wonder if they miss me? Probably not... And knowing the other Shidosha, they will try to frame me for Kumo's death... The other hitokiri will try to avenge him themselves. Even if he was not the strongest, Kumo was highly respected. He came up with the Inazuma-ha Ito Gijutsu on his own. The only person he ever taught that technique was Shinkiro, who taught me in turn. Kumo had other students, who he taught the regular Hitokiri Ito Gijutsu... But I am the only one alive now who can use it, I suppose. He might have taken on another apprentice that would, in time, learn it. But it had been only a year. Even if he had been teaching an apprentice, he or she would not even be a fourth of the way through his or her training. I suppose I will teach my own apprentice all my arts when I select one...

"YUSUKE!" l was jerked out of my thoughts when I heard my name. Perfect, I did not want to deal with a demon right now... I turned off the water and pulled on my robe. Quickly and carelessly towel drying my hair so that it was just somewhat dripping wet and not completely so, I shook my head so my hair looked somewhat groomed. Exiting the bathroom, I slowly made my way to the living room. Damn... I really, REALLY didn't want to face anyone right now... Especially Hiei.

"Yeah?" I asked as I raised an eyebrow when I saw them. Why was Kurama here a day early?

I blinked when I realized they were staring at me. My eye twitched. Knocking them both in the head, I waited for them to come to their senses. Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

Just my luck.

Kangae: "thought" or "mind"

Hebi: snake

Kumo: spider

Shujin: master

Shidosha: leader of hitokiri

Hitokiri: assassin

Doku: poison

Shinkiro: mirage

'ha: Kumo's nick name for Yusuke/Yurei'ha

Naifu: knife

Kyokai: guild

Inazuma-ha Ito Gijutsu: Lighting Blade Thread Technique

Hitokiri Ito Gijutsu: Assassin Thread Technique

Votes:

Hiei: 9

Jin: 5

Kurama: 1

Hiei and Kurama: 13

NOTE: 11: 59 p.m. tonight, the voting's over!