Hiya! I hope this makes up for me not updating quick enough. Thanks to all you ppls that reviewed to the last chpt and any of the chpts in general. Now, onto the next part of the story.

Chapter 15: Surprise Help

The demon dodged through the thick trees of the forest. The sun had fallen over an hour ago, the full moon now residing in its place. But the kitsune didn't care. He was determined to find her. It had been the same everyday and night for the past month. Luck was not on their side.

Yoko stopped running and leaned against a tree. He stared up to the stars lingering over Makai, his mind streaming back to a day a month prior. The last day he'd seen Kurenai. They had watched helplessly as she walked through the portal, keeping the Rekai Tantei glued to the floor. She had immobilized them to keep them from following her. And it worked. Once Kurenai and Rumaru had gone and the portal to Makai closed, the binds had broken, but it was too late.

They had lost a day in the search for Koenma couldn't get them to Makai until the next day. Yusuke and Kuwabara had stayed behind in the human world while the two demons went after Kurenai. Yoko and Hiei had found few clues to the whereabouts of Rumaru. One demon told them Rumaru had passed through the area a week ago, but he did not know his current location. Another gladly said he'd seen a cute young bat demon in the forest, with some mild threats and gestures from Hiei. Neither did any good in finding the komori.

The kitsune brought his eyes back down to the fire apparition standing before him. "Any luck?" he asked having a strong feeling that the answer would be no. Hiei shook his head, cursing under his breath as he did so. Yoko sighed heavily.

"What did Koenma mean by sending help?" asked Hiei. The kitsune had forgotten about that. The day they left for Makai, Koenma said that he would send help as soon as he could. It had been a month and still no word. "Not sure. We didn't exactly stay in Spirit World long enough to ask." the fox replied. Hiei stared at him for a moment. Satisfied that he was to say no more, the apparition looked away. Yoko smirked at his behavior. He'd been acting ackward around him since they got there. Yoko had assumed that it was because of the kiss Hiei and Kurenai shared in front of him.

Another hour had passed while the two companions ate their meal. It was a quiet dinner, both having their minds on more important things than conversation. After they finished eating, Yoko and Hiei stayed together and searched for two more irritating hours. Fatigue was creeping upon the demons, but they moved on. Not wanting to show any sign of weariness to any unseen predators, Hiei quickened his pace. The kitsune kept at a steady run until his ears picked up the sound of a sword sliding out of its sheath. He sighed and hurried to catch up to the fire demon.

When he caught up, Yoko saw Hiei lowering his sword and a startled Botan. A familiar orb floated behind the grim reaper. She quickly composed herself and smiled. "Greetings!" she said cheerfully. Hiei put away his katana. The kitsune walked closer to them. "Hello, Botan. What brings you here at such an hour?" "Something that could help." Botan's smile faded. "Have you found her?" From the grim expressions on their faces she could easily guess the answer.

Hiei crossed his arms over his chest. In an attempt to change the subject he said, "So, what is this thing that is supposed to help us?" Botan seemed to cheer up a bit. "It is more of a who than a what." The kitsune's forehead scrunched up in confusion, Hiei looking just as lost. The portal behind the blue-haired girl glowed bright. Someone emerged from the light a second later. The man stood tall, his hat adding to his height. His pointed ears stuck out from beneath the hat. The long black hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Black wings spread out from side to side then folded back. The demon smirked. "Hey."

Yoko stood with his mouth agape, not believing what was in front of him. How was this possible? Botan seemed to have read his mind. "You better be grateful. Getting him out put Koenma a month behind in paperwork." She smiled. "Well, I have to go. Good luck." With that, she stepped back through the portal and both disappeared.

"I thought you were dead." Hiei bluntly said. The kitsune had regained his senses and turned a dirty look on the apparition. "I am. Koenma thought it best that I help in the search for my own daughter. He explained to me what has happened." was the bat demon's reply to Hiei's rude statement. Yoko immediately remembered his encounter with the demon god that disguised himself as the komori now standing not five feet from him. 'Thank you, Koenma.' he thought to himself.

Kuronue walked over to his old partner and put a hand on his shoulder. "I am deeply grateful for all that you have done for Kurenai, my friend." The fox was at a loss for words. What was he saying? How could Kuronue be grateful if Yoko failed at protecting her? But the answer lied in the komori's face. He knew that it wasn't his fault. Yoko smiled at his long dead partner. "It is good to see you again, Kuronue." "Likewise." The fire apparition cleared his throat. They looked at him and then back to each other. "We'll start in the morning." stated Yoko. The three found a safe place and were soon sleeping, gaining energy for the day ahead.


"Kurenai!" Rumaru stormed through the underground tunnels in a rage. He had specifically told the girl to steal both gold rings and what does she do, return with only one! "Kurenai!" Everytime he sent her to retrieve something, she would always find a way to do just enough to consider the job done. Rumaru had put up with the girl's games for the past month, but they were getting worse. "Kurenai!" Fed up with calling for the komori, he turned into a room serving as the dining room.

Shinya was sitting at a round table in the middle of the room eating some grotesque looking meat. "Can't find her?" he said with his mouth full. Rumaru cast him a dirty look. The other male swallowed the rather large piece of meat in his mouth and took a sip of his wine. He mumbled something incoherent while rummaging through his pockets. "Aha!" He pulled out a small black object that resembled a remote of some sort. "Here." Shinya tossed it to his master. The demon caught it and squeezed it in his right hand.

The object sparked from the electrical energy Rumaru was pouring into it. A second later,
the two demons heard a stifled scream echoing from somewhere in the caverns. Rumaru seemed less agitated when he gave the strange contraption back to Shinya. "Don't you think that was a bit much?" Shinya asked. The only other time he'd seen the torture make the girl scream was for when she outright kicked Rumaru in the face a few weeks ago. "How else is she supposed to learn the error of her ways?" Rumaru retorted.

It was then that Kurenai appeared in the doorway. "What the hell is it now?" she spat out.
Rumaru motioned for her to move closer. She took one step forward. The lightening youkai frowned, but suddenly drew pleasure from the trickle of blood trailing down Kurenai's left arm from the intricate armband constricting her biscep. "You should learn to come when I call you." he stated with one of his gruesome smiles. Kurenai rolled her eyes when Rumaru had turned his back on her. He quickly turned back around when Shinya snickered.

"What were you supposed to do today?" The komori instantly knew where this was going. She had only stolen one of the two golden rings from a rivalring demon of Rumaru's. Easily could she have taken both of them, but she found pleasure in disobeying Rumaru no matter the cost. Kurenai didn't answer. Rumaru continued anyway. "You will go back and get the other tomorrow, understand?" Still she didn't respond. "Leave us." growled Rumaru with a wave of his hand.

Kurenai left the room and headed back down the hall. A few short minutes later, she went into her room, which was more of a prison, and slammed the door. She plopped down on the poor excuse for a bed. "Hiei," she whispered to herself. "Yoko. Father." Unknown to her, the very men she was thinking about weren't far away.