This special extended chapter is dedicated to Drachegirl14/Takara, as promised. lol. Happy fourteenth birthday, girl!

I stopped on the way to Genkai's at home to pick up some stuff. Throwing all of my possessions into a duffel bag, I carefully put my guitar in its case. When I finished, I slung the guitar over my shoulder and glanced at my room for a final time. Before this, my room had been fairly bare, with only a few items other than clothes, and that didn't even cover the entire surface of the dresser.

I hesitated as I looked at the one picture I was going to leave behind. It was of the Tantei. I slowly walked toward it and picked it up. The four of us were sitting at Genkai's temple, shortly after the fight with Suzaku, and just before the one with Toguro. I was lounging on a step, staring straight past the camera, deep in thought, my hand clutching the mostly healed wound between my left shoulder and my neck that was created by Suzaku's bolts. Hiei was sitting on the rail just behind me; his head was turned towards the camera, though his unnerving crimson gaze was resting on me thoughtfully as he leaned against the pillar behind him. Kurama was standing just off to the side, examining Hiei's expression discreetly, though you could see he was half glancing at the camera, with a small smirk on his lips. Kuwabara was staring up at the sky, sitting beside me, in a rare moment in which neither of us were playing off of the other, in our own, unique way. We were barely friends... And yet, we had progressed so that we were barely rivals at that point. I smiled slightly. We had gone through so much since then... We have been together for so long, it seems; though in reality, it was only for maybe half a year. The Dark Tournament itself seemed like a lifetime... Shaking my head, I slipped the picture into my bag, stepped out of the room, turned off the lights and shut the door behind me, not looking back once.

I walked out of the city, not looking back, ignoring all the screaming voices in my mind that I should stay, and stay out of the war. I closed my eyes and blocked them out. Quickening my past, I ran all the way back to Genkai's. I would eventually come back, even if... Even if it was just to go to my mother's, Keiko's or Kuwabara's funeral.

When I finished climbing the temple steps, I gently deposited my stuff in the spare room I had claimed as my own and entered the kitchen. Everyone, excluding Genkai, Yukina and Touya, was still asleep. Genkai was quietly sipping her tea, Yukina was sewing something and Touya was apparently meditating. I walked over to the stove and stroked it up as I began to make some French toast. Genkai raised an eyebrow. "You're cooking?"

I shrugged. Truth be told, I was a pretty good cook, seeing as how mom was either: a.) never around or b.) too trashed to be of any use in the kitchen without setting it on fire. And... I just wanted something to do with my hands. In minutes, I had enough made to feed everyone. Grabbing a plate, I set two slices upon it, smothered them in butter and then proceeded to douse them in syrup. I ate in silence. I heard a slight rustle of cloth as Touya stood and helped himself to some food. The Ice Master glanced at me; his eyes were piercing, as he was trying to figure out why I was so quiet.

"I'm not leaving for the Makai for another two days, including today, but you guys can go back if you want." I stood and washed my plate down in the sink before putting it in the dishwasher.

Touya made a small noise of confirmation; his eyes still on me. His stares were just as piercing as Hiei's. And made me just as uncomfortable.

"Yes?" I turned toward him and waited for him to explain himself, leaning against the wall.

He stood and regarded me cautiously for a moment, then spoke slowly, like he was carefully choosing his words. "I know that you are much stronger than me, Yusuke. And I also know what your lineage is, which makes me... Hesitant to say this..."

I raised an eyebrow. But I think I have an idea of what he was getting at. "Are you just going to tell me that if I hurt Jin in any way, you're going to do your best to harm me before either I kill you or some guard kills you for treason?"

"Yes." His pupil-less eyes bore into mine.

I smiled humorlessly. "Jin... Is more than a brother to me, Touya... You do not have to worry."

"You swear you won't hurt him in any way?" He pressed insistently. I inwardly sighed. I knew it would come to this. A demon lord's word is law. If I promised, I could never break it. And that was what Touya wanted.

"I won't harm Jin in any way, shape, or form, this I swear it on my father's blood." His eyes widened slightly at the extent I took the oath, but nodded, smiled slightly in something that could have been relief, and went back to his breakfast.

Well... That was interesting...

A loud yawn announced Rinku's presence. His eyes widened when he saw the food. "French toast! AWESOME!" He leapt forward to grab a plate, considerably lightening the mood. I laughed slightly at his antics.

After a few minutes of Rinku just wolfing down his food, a groan brought my attention to the door. Chu stood there, eyes half-closed and probably had a pounding headache.

"Ah... My head..."

Rinku grinned cheekily through a mouthful of food. Quickly swallowing he remarked, "That's what you get for drinking twenty bottles of booze!"

"Shut up..." Chu stumbled towards the food; probably hoping it would help his headache a bit.

I sighed. Between Chu and Rinku, if Jin didn't get up soon, he wouldn't get any thing to eat. Standing I stretched as I walked down the hall of the guestrooms and stopped at Jin's door. Knocking, I waited. And when I didn't get a response, I pounded on it. After another thirty seconds, I just opened the door and went into the room.

I walked toward the bed and had to concentrate on not laughing. Jin was completely entangled in the sheets, was still asleep. He looked adorable beyond all reason. I smirked slightly, getting an idea of how I should wake him up.

Moving silently closer, I paused when I was leaning over him. Should I let him sleep? I questioned. Nah.

With this in mind, I quickly attacked his sides, tickling furiously.

Jin burst out laughing as he woke up. "I'm awake!" He laughed helplessly. "I'm awake!" I only stopped when he collapsed on the bed, too breathless to speak and too tired to get up for another thirty seconds or so.

Smiling slightly, I kissed him on the forehead and walked to the door, pausing only to grin and remark, "If you want something to eat, you better head to the kitchen quickly, or else Chu and Rinku will eat it all."

"What!" He squawked indignantly and immediately began to untangle himself from his blankets.

Still laughing, I went over to my room and took a shower. When I finished, I quickly changed into some old training clothes while not bothering to completely dry off and went over to the part of the dojo overlooking the garden. Leaping over the railing, I went over to the waterfall. Sitting beneath it, I closed my eyes as the water pound onto my back. Clearing all thoughts, I just concentrated on the water and the roaring in my ears.

I ignored the presence standing a yard or two in front of me. But when he did not leave, I opened my eyes and leapt over to the bank. Shaking myself much like a dog or a cat, I waited for him to speak.

"Yurei'ha."

I nodded an acknowledgement. "Beru."

Beru was an excellent hitokiri, and one of the Shidosha appointed to appease one of the factions that was not pleased with my rule, but I knew Beru was loyal to the Kyokai, and therefore, indirectly to myself.

"What brings you here?" I asked, getting directly to the point, destroying all need for protocol.

He hesitated for a moment, when he was about to answer, I cut him off, knowing what this was about instantly. "Don't tell me. Aaron is plotting a rebellion, right?"

He nodded. I shrugged.

"What does he want?"

"A Shidosha from the Kurayami Shuha."

"Surprise, surprise." I muttered, running a hand through my hair, sighing. "Okay, appoint the Shidosha. Five was a nice number for the Shidosha a few years ago, but now that the Guild's expanded..." I shrugged. "It was hard to run it. The Shujin does not really run anything unless there couldn't be an agreement or if there is a war. I'm leaving the choice to you guys. I'm trusting you guys to make a good choice."

He looked slightly surprised, but covered it quickly. "Yes, Yurei'ha."

I grinned as he left and went back to my meditation.

That Afternoon

I stared up at the manor I had inherited as I locked it up. The way the inheritance was set up was that anyone who had the key was the owner of the house, though they had to be able to open the door. Demonic power was key to that. Leaving the building, while running a hand over the hilt of the sword Hiei gave me, memories of the few days that they were there were running through my mind. The look on his face when I took the sword, the night together... I sighed.

I shook my head. I can't afford to get sentimental now. I still had things to do. When I got back to Genkai's, the other demons had already gone back to the Makai. I sought out the Reiki master before I settled down for my evening exercises.

"Genkai?" I called, walking toward her rooms. When I entered, she was sipping her tea.

"You want me to give you another pair of Spirit Cuffs, correct?"

"Yes."

She slowly stood. "All right. Raizen is going to be training your Demon Energy, so I see no reason not to."

"Thanks Genkai."

After she did the incantation and the bracelets of light were on my skin; I slid on some wristbands. After doing so, I glanced up at her. "Could you come to Makai, with me? I'm a little worried about Jin and the others. They have skill, but they don't have any one to train them like you would."

She contemplated this for a moment. "Torturing four-"

"Six." I corrected.

Her grin widened. "Six new souls for a few months... Why not?" I grinned along with her.

"I'll probably join the evening training."

Genkai nodded, then a flash of concern crossed her face. "What about Yukina?"

I glanced at the Ice Maiden, who was currently cooking dinner. "She could go to Raizen's or Koenma's. I wouldn't trust her here alone with all the psycho's out there. Touya could probably train her a little with fighting. Though Hiei wouldn't be too pleased."

Genkai laughed. "No, he wouldn't. But that's what he gets for not telling her he is her brother."

I smiled slightly and stared up at the stars, which you could see out here. One last thing to do before I headed to Makai. And that could be taken care of tomorrow, easily.

Though I doubted Koenma would be happy with what I wanted, I was sure I could... persuade him to do it.

I grinned. He would not be happy at all.

Glossary

Tantei: Detectives

Beru: Veil

Hitokiri: assassin

Shidosha: leader of the hitokiri

Kyokai: Guild

Kurayami: Darkness

Shuha: Sect

Shujin: leader of all hitokiri