FW: Band season is over…. Well, not really because our stupid football team is actually decent and won this time, so now we're in the finals. Which is good, but it also means I have to wake up early on Saturday. Darn it!

Yusuke: New flash: no one cares.

FW: Sola cares….

Sola: (on a date with her new boyfriend)

Botan: How cute!

FW: (grumbles)

Youko: Maybe if you shut up every now and then and, God forbid, acted NORMAL, you'd manage to attract someone yourself.

FW: I was NOT complaining about my still-single self!

Youko: (points at ears) Do you really think I won't hear you?

Kurama: Play nice Youko….

Hiei: (chuckling sadistically)

FW: (glances at Tabby-san, attached to her in a hug) Uh… I don't know if I can write like this…. And Demon of Evilness-sama, woo boy, looks like I've got some hype to live up to… hope this chapter is up to its expectations!

Kuwabara: Do I get more of a part in this chapter?

FW: No. In fact, I don't think you'll get any part in this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, Naruto, and Michael Jackson

START

"Kuronue's pendant… burned me?"

Kurama kept walking, but only out of habit now. Why would the only relic of his partner hurt him? Was it… deliberate? "It couldn't be…" he thought, immediately trying to discard the idea, but unable to.

He turned around to take reassurance from Hiei, one of the only solid parts of his life, and stared. His eyes cast about for any sign of his fiery companion.

Hiei was gone.

&&&&&&

Hiei raced to a location as familiar as the back of his hand. The hand that wasn't always bandaged up, or course, since he couldn't always see the back of it, therefore know it as well.

Not the point.

Said location was Genkai's temple. Yukina was living there, so naturally Hiei visited often, just to check on her. Of course, the ice maiden wasn't usually aware of him looking over her, or the fact that he even came by. He didn't want her getting suspicious.

This time, however, he didn't bother to hide his presence.

"Hiei?" Yukina looked up from tending the garden. She didn't have plant abilities like some demons, but even Kurama would have been proud of her progress.

Hiei stopped running a few feet from her. "Where's the hag?" he demanded.

Yukina looked up at him, confused, before understanding flashed before her matching red eyes. "You mean Genkai? She's meditating, so you might want to wait for her to-"

Hiei was already through the front doors before Yukina could end her sentence.

"Finish," she said softer.

"Genkai," Hiei said, acknowledging the old woman kneeling before the statue at the far end of her shrine.

Nothing.

"Genkai…."

Nothing.

"STUPID OLD CRONE!"

"Hn, nice to see you too, Hiei," Genkai finally stood, turning to face him. She glared into his already narrowed eyes. "To what do I owe this "pleasant" surprise?"

Hiei took a few deep breaths to control his anger. "She won't be able to help if I rip her organs out… she won't be able to help if I rip her organs out..." he thought as he did so. Finally, he got down to business. He pulled the tear gem out from inside his shirt, holding it up. The old woman looked at it once, before returning her gaze to the demon's face. "What would it mean if this burned me?"

All in all, Hiei was proud of his logic. He had gotten his point across, using very similar objects and circumstances, without involving Kurama. He also said the least amount of words possible, always a plus.

Genkai took a while to answer. She turned away, checking the brightness of the nearest candle first. Taking her sweet time. If Hiei hadn't been so intent on the answer, she would have found a sharpened sword tip at her throat. With her back still to him, she said, "Your mother is dead, is she not?"

"Yes."

"You two never had a real relationship?"

"No."

She turned to look at him, accusation written over her face. "Who are you talking for?" She demanded sharply.

Hiei's eyes narrowed further. HE was the one who made demands!

Genkai frowned deeper. She sighed, before turning again and elaborating. "It is difficult for a message to be passed from the deceased to the living. Only a powerful bond of friendship, or hate, would be able to motivate a soul enough to do so. If you never really knew your mother, she wouldn't bother." She turned back to face him. "I'll ask you again. Who are you covering for?"

Hiei glared, before turning on his heel and leaving.

&&&&

Ten o clock pm.

Exhausted from keeping Youko at bay, the human side was fast asleep. Youko still stirred beneath the surface.

He knew he wasn't able to stay in control forever. He was too out of practice. At least, for the time being. Still, now was as good as any time to learn, right? With that logic, Youko slowly, as not to wake his other half, pushed his way to the front of Kurama's mind, where the control buttons of his brain lay.

Unbeknownst to Kurama, his eyes were opening. His fists were clenching. His lips were smirking.

The redhead, piloted by Youko, reached to the bedside table, grabbing Kuronue's cold pendant, quickly fastening it around his neck. He changed into more suitable clothes, and jumped out the window.

The thought of Kuronue, alone, in some dark, damp prison was enough to make the fox growl, but the idea of doing nothing was, and had been, eating him alive ever since he sensed Kuronue's energy.

As a thief, he'd learned not to jump into things without a plan, and to wait for the perfect moment.

The plan: the Eye of Tepurt, an ancient artifact that could locate anyone in all the worlds. Youko remembered well helping to recover it in the last mission, (Trials of a Marching Band, in case anyone's wondering,) and that it was currently in one of Koenma's locks "never to be seen again". Hmph. Yeah right. He'd broken in before, and could again.

As for the perfect moment? It was now. While the other detectives weren't on his radar.

"Kurama? What are you doing out?" Whoops. Looks like he'd overlooked one. Youko stopped in his tracks, and had to work to keep the frost out of his, no, Kurama's green eyes. Apparently he didn't completely manage, as Kuwabara fidgeted under his gaze.

"Midnight stroll," Youko answered coolly.

"But it's 10:30," Kuwabara scratched his head, confused.

The fox rolled his eyes. "It's a figure of speech."

"Oh."

Awkward silence.

"I must be going now," Youko broke it, starting to head off. He was surprised to find an glowing orange sword blocking his path.

Kuwabara's eyes lost all traces of obliviousness, and instead held a sense of steely intensity. "Let Kurama go."

Youko raised an eyebrow. "I AM Kurama, you fool."

To the fox's surprise, Kuwabara laughed a little. "Caught you," he said, "Kurama would never call me that."

Youko sighed, cursing himself for falling into Kuwabara's trap. KUWABARA'S trap. He really hadn't wanted to do things the hard way….

From behind the taller teenager, a tree's branches slowly advanced, until, ignoring Kuwabara's shouts, the limbs wrapped tightly around him. The spirit sword thrashed uselessly, the bark slowly tightening around him, urging him to drop it completely. Finally, he did so.

Smirking, Youko slowly walked towards him. "Let me go!"

"Let me think… no."

"I'm warning you.. OW!" The branches had tightened, starting to crush his ribs.

Youko smirked even more. "Friend" or not, no one was going to get in his way. Besides, he liked to see others squirm. And he didn't plan on really hurting him, or anything.

At least not permanently.

Youko walked right up to him, leaning in so their noses were inches apart. "Who's your daddy?" He asked, evilly.

"Not you!" Flick of wrist, branches tighten.

"You sure?"

"Yes!" Flick of wrist, branches tighten. "You are not-" flick of wrist… "YOU ARE, YOU ARE!"

Satisfied, Youko let the branches ease up enough so he could breathe properly, and created a simple dust of plants that would erase his memory. Best that no one knew who was in control.

Confident in his own cleverness, Youko left him there,dazed against the tree. Surely someone would find him sooner a later.

He had business to attend to.

&&&&

The next morning, Yusuke was minding his own business… to an extent. Ok, so maybe not. He was purposely avoiding Keiko, who wanted to drag, er take him shopping with her. What respectable thug went to the mall anyway?

"Urameshi!"

He turned at the sound of his name, and raised an eyebrow at Kuwabara, with a tree hugging him. "Get me down!"

Yusuke strolled up to him, hands in his pockets. "Hm, Kurama's handiwork huh?" He eyed his best friend nonchalantly. Running his eyes across the tree firmly holding him in place, he couldn't help but shudder. "Do I even want to know what happened?"

Before Kuwabara could retort, Botan was beside them, oar firmly in hand. "Yusuke, Kuwabara! We've got trouble!" She then noticed the taller boy's er, predicament. "Um… do I even want to know what happened?"

&&&&

"There's been a major break in," Koenma said seriously, his tiny hands clasped together on his desk.

Yusuke checked the room one more time. Kuwabara, daydreaming; Botan, listening intently; himself; and Koenma.

No Kurama or Hiei.

Of course, Koenma had demanded they go to the meeting as well, but Botan had shrugged, claiming she couldn't find them.

Right, it's a meeting. Which meant the leader should really be paying attention.

"-Possible. Any questions?" Koenma finished.

"Uh, yeah," Yusuke scratched his head sheepishly. "What the mission again?"

"Are you serious!" Kuwabara exploded. "You should really listen, at least a little!"

"Oh yeah, then YOU tell me what we're doing!"

"…."

"That's what I thought."

"Boys!" Botan yelled, exasperated. "Someone's stolen the Eye of Tepurt. We're to get it back, at all costs."

END CHAPTER 2

FW: Hm, wonder who stole it… not really.

Youko: Only someone as talented as I could pull it off without any suspicion.

FW: I'm sure.

Kuwabara: Ha! I DID have a part!

FW: Yeah. Seemed to fit at the time... And no, Yusuke doesn't know about Youko taking over Kurama yet. Kuwabara has forgotten about that part.

Yusuke: Hey guess what, your friend's possessed! Yeah, that's something you mightremeber for,I'ddon't know... ever!

FW:Yeah well... this is convienent. Andjeez, this did notturn out that well. To be honest, I'vekinda abandoned YYH recently for Naruto. Kakashi is wicked cool!
Mage: And gay.

FW: He's not gay!

Kurama: (once again stuck with introduction duties) This is Mage, one of FW's friends. Who thinks Kakashi is gay.

Mage: TRANSFORM! (turns into Michael Jackson) I'm Kakashi!

Hiei: (eye is twitching)

FW: HOLY CRAP NO!

Mage: Uh-huh. He's old and gay, and hangs out with little boys.

FW: MY EYES! MY BRAIN! (flees)

Mage: (smiles) FW has left the building. But feel free to review, or not. Or even flame, heh, who really cares? She'll take it in stride!