"Um," Mitsu tucked her short hair behind an ear. "Rin? I've been meaning to ask. About…Tsukihito?"

As if saying his name was the cue for him to appear on stage, he came bounding around the corner of the school gate, a bright red zip-up hoodie flapping up behind him over his uniform. "Hey, dummy!" His nose wrinkled at the sight of Mitsu, who pursed her lips and turned her head away. "Mitsu. Is that why you were taking so long to come out?"

Eyebrows raised up, head still turned to the side, Mitsu spoke. "Are you walking your younger cousin home like you have been supposed to be doing or trying to make stealing my best friend into one of your silly games? Rin's just being nice. Right, Rin?"

Mitsu barely looked at me, surprising me with her tone, keeping most her focus on her older cousin. I mean, I had heard her go on about her inattentive and distant older brother. And I'd heard why she kept saying hello to her cousin when he walked us to school, but she'd never gone off like this before. She'd always been so apologetic after complaining and what she wished could be to me. I don't know why Mitsu didn't just tell them. But she'd go red in the face, waving it off and saying she could never do that.

And I, for one, didn't think it'd help if I pointed out any of the reasons I knew or figured out why Tsukihito wouldn't take this kind of call out well. Mitsu only saw the early morning walks to school. As did the others, asking me and taking my answer of I'd been nice and included him. He was being nice back. Short chats wouldn't give me enough reason to point out something on behalf of Tsukihito here.

With Yuu keeping busy between after school activities and a new essay he was set to start and joining the searches of Mushiyori City with the rest, well, for the first time ever, he wasn't allowing me to tag along with him. I'd been taking my time going home, using the free time to do the same thing Yuu had been doing in the bedroom before. Figuring out my new thing. Except, well, Tsukihito had been determined the past few days to seek me out between waving goodbye to Mitsu and heading home, excitedly dragging me to the typically empty park at that time, going on about his own powers and Sensui and about mine and how cool it was and giving me ideas of how to go about using it and talking me into playing little games.

Yeah, pointing out reasons and standing up on behalf of Tsukihito wouldn't go over well with Mitsu. I bit my lip, looking between the cousins, trying to furiously work out how to smooth this over. To let Mitsu get this out with the least amount of blow up reaction out of Tsukihito. Or maybe change the topic?

"You hovering right to her side or…or looming over us like you're ready to swoop in to separate us during the mornings is just annoying. What do you think is going to come of it?"

Tsukihito stilled, face losing a bit of color, and then turned with a snarl. "You're just a whiney little child who can't keep your mouth shut unless it's twisting every good thing I've managed to hold onto into something negative and twisted. Take right after your parents and big brother," he sneered. I wilted. There was going to be no way to change the topic at this point. Maybe there was a good way to smooth it over and work it out with things coming to the surface?

"I've heard plenty to know their words in a munchkin's mouth. Well, what do you think is going to come of it? I can avoid Kichirou's limbs long enough to make it count Mitsu. Because me and a few special others are out to change the world."

My mouth dropped. Startled, Mitsu spun her head. "Ki-Kichirou doesn't hit you! He'd never… He takes the time to talk to you, going out of his way for it."

Tsukihito snorted. "Please. You're old enough to realize he never has those precious one-on-one talks with me anywhere near you or anyone else."

I turned my head to Mitsu, heartbroken to see the clear denial on her face breaking, even more heartbroken as I looked back to Tsukihito who refused to glance at me as he gave out the facts. A trickle of fear went through me. If Tsukihito was laying his feelings and things once kept secret out in the open like this, exactly how far, exactly how close was Sensui to getting his tunnel between worlds open?

"Because you two are older, dealing with peer pressure and…" Mitsu trailed off, then scrambled back to another point he brought up. "You can't speak like that against my parents. They're not wrong. They don't speak negatively about… You don't give them much chance to with how you behave with others."

"Oh?" He crossed his arms. "So they speak well of how I'm top of my class? Or are they exactly like all the idiots in my class?"

"Well…" Mitsu ducked her head and tucked her hair behind her ear again, mumbling. "I still don't see why you can't play nice with me when you get so excited to see my best friend now. I know Kichirou is in third year of junior high and can't be bothered with me most the time. But, well, Rin has Yuu, he's even older but… I mean, he's just…Big Brother Yuu. And, and I was excited when I started school. I keep greeting you in the morning hoping…but it's been a whole year… I was just another munchkin. All of us were munchkins."

An involuntary noise jerked out from Tsukihito's throat. I was kind of glad to see him taken so far aback by Mitsu's words. That once he had opened up a fresh line of communication, as badly as he went about doing it, she'd shared right back. I beamed between them, glad to see this happening. At seeing his eyes casting about anywhere but at Mitsu, I caught his eye and nodded.

Mitsu had spoken before of her older brother and mine in comparison and slight jealousy before, despite liking him. Let's be honest, I was glad my best friend could with the extent I adored my older brother. Thankfully, none of my friends failed to make me proud with how they also looked up to Yuu. He was amazing. Yet this had been part of the stressing out Mitsu had done when we started school. On if she could become closer to her cousin, on the hopes of their ages being closer than her and Kichirou. Thus her morning greetings to him. Still. After all the days it changed nothing.

This certainly would change something. I kept telling Mitsu just to speak up.

"W-what?" Tsukihito looked back to me. A red blossomed in Mitsu's cheeks as he looked back to her. "All this time you weren't just…playing nice in public…because we're related? You barely say a word to me when…"

Her jaw trembled. "You barely look at me when everyone else is around."

"You're just," Tsukihito stumbled over his words, still looking stunned. "Always so quiet," he finished lamely. "Usually. Whenever you do talk or do anything, it's because Kichirou has whispered in your ear and pushed you forward and he…he'd…but you didn't know he'd do that…or what…"

It went quiet. Allowing it to soak in for them, I hopped ahead, forcing them to automatically move their feet in following me. Glancing back to where Mitsu and Tsukihito walked side by side, stealing glances on the sly at each other, well, it made for an interesting picture. Awkward. But a possibly very good one.

Silence was only good for so long though I figured.

"He's obsessed with video games," I announced.

Mitsu tucked her short hair behind an ear, head going down as she peered upward at him. "I know," she mumbled.

I pointed at her, looking at him. "She's obsessed with PRINCESS PRINCESS."

Tsukihito's lips twitched, looking down at Mitsu. "I think I gathered that by pictures of them plastered everywhere on the munchkin's stuff."

"They're not…everywhere," Mitsu defended herself weakly. I bounced, beaming, glad to see this turning out well. And then I saw Tsukihito's face change. How, I couldn't quite put words on it, but something changed.

His feet moved back a few steps. "I…I actually have to be meeting someone right now. I'm…I'm sorry. I just noticed the clock with the time back there. Um…uh… We'll er, do something later? I'll make sure of it munchkin. I will."

And with that, he ran off.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

I looked back to Mitsu and where we were. We'd reached the meeting point and splitting point without me fully realizing it. She looked uncertain, but flushed.

"You sure Mitsu? I've got time."

"No." She shook her head. "I…I think I'm going to take your advice again. With Kichirou. I'll see you tomorrow Rin."

"Good luck," I called out after her.

It was nice, I thought. Cute, maybe a bit sad, but nice. Tsukihito seemed so stunned to hear someone in his family declare they wanted him around. I'd heard his remarks about Yuu, his remarks over family being overrated, glimmered bits off of how he behaved at ends with the look in his eyes. He didn't expect people to like or want him around, so he gave a reason for it. Even if he desperately wanted someone.

All and all, very good. Now instead of just Sensui, he had both me and his cousin in his life.

"Ack!"

"Come on, dummy!" Eyes sparkling in excitement, Tsukihito kept tugging at me. For more stuff at the park? The thing with Mitsu? I let him pull at me. I suppose with it being unexpected, he needed time to think over the Mitsu thing, so he gave some excuse to leave. "Let's go! I've been waiting for this all day!"

"I'm coming." I laughed at him. Such a kid.

"And I've been bugging him about it since I found out you're like me. He just knows things. I've told you. He knew about my thing before too and went out of the way for you and this way, you're gunna be on the right side of things and we'll get to hang out afterwards."

Wait.

What?

He doesn't mean that…

No.

Tsukihito spun me around on the sidewalk. I tripped over a pair of long legs stretched out, crossed at the ankles. Wide eyed, I stared at the person lounging on the bench, dressed in greys, forearms dangling loosely from where his elbows rested on the back. A small jewel sparkled in the light as he shifted up from his slouch, a kind smile creasing his mouth as he sat straight and crossed his legs higher up at his knees and politely patted at the area of the bench beside him and the other hand offered to me.

"Apologies. Stretching out my limbs can be a bit of a danger." I stared at the odd quirk of humor, the joking tone. That's definitely an understatement with the drawn out images I've had of you, if you really are…I hope not. I really, really hope not. "Please sit. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you after the trouble I went to. Sounds like you've been doing okay from how he goes on about you since… How rude of me. Please sit, sit. It sounds like I've been mentioned from him."

"Hey! I've done more than mentioned! You're the—"

He raised up a hand and Tsukihito subsided, pouting some, but hovered ever closer, vibrating with his excitement of this meeting. The hand moved back in front of me. Another offer, but not to help me to the bench. A far more Western offer. As in America, from the United States. Polite, yes, but standing out with jarring obviousness.

A handshake.

Delivered with a smile.

Knowing on his face.

He just knows things, Tsukihito had said.

"Nice to meet you face to face. I'm Shinobu Sensui."

You know those times in a person's life that when you're faced with something, you feel like you ought to run but can't move your feet? They call it the flight or fight response. I don't get why they had to get cute with the naming to have them both start with the letter 'f'. And it doesn't work. I only have flight or fight as my options?

I mean, who the hell would start a physical altercation with Sensui? Not me.

And we are so ignoring the obvious one of who did.

Sorry, that was a bit rhetorical considering how we all know what happened in that cave.

Still, we know what I mean. Standing up against him is difficult enough to will yourself to do. Unless you have a very moving reason why…

For doing the right thing, taking the place of someone, saving lives of others, spotting an opening to aid a group effort.

…and believe losing something very valuable is worth doing it.

Your peace of mind, your health, your life, your soul, or even…someone else's peace of mind.

I gaped, staring. His mouth opened to almost impossibly wide proportions. Almost impossible, clearly not impossible because he managed it. Leaning into it, his wide mouth went a touch larger, then closed as his arms came back down from stretching.

Snickers broke out behind me. I turned to see Yusuke, who turned to look back to me, eyes lighting up as he bent closer. "Hey, what do you think kid?" There was still far more snicker in his voice than any conspiratorial whisper. "Think the big lug there could fit a whole fist in his mouth? I can give a helping hand to see if he can manage it."

Kuwabara immediately back stepped and thrust a fist up, waving it at Yusuke behind me. "I'd like to see you try punk!"

"That's number one punk," Yusuke pipped back gleefully. "And come on Kuwabara, we shouldn't let down the hopes of a kid now. She wants to see if you can get a fist in your mouth."

"Says you! She's a kid and a girl at that! You don't fight in front of little ladies!" Then his face did a complete turnabout, going from angry yet exasperated yelling to a warm smile and voice lowering with kind consideration of me. Of me. "Hey. Good morning, Rin. Did you sleep okay last night? The bed I found was comfortable?"

Warmth filled me up and I nodded. "Mm-hm!"

A large grin filled up his face and he preened, purposely over-the-top silly. I couldn't help but smile, giggling at the tall goof. "Heh." Pleased with himself, he awkwardly scratched behind his neck, messing up his morning bird's nest even further. Then he glanced about, eyebrows furrowing down a little bit. "Hey. Where is your brother?"

"Bathroom," I answered simply.

Yuu had forced himself up early for it, checking on me and telling me to use it before he went in. I'd gone. And discovered that besides the plants being moved here for what happened last night, Yuu had apparently made sure they'd stocked up the bathroom so they could all take advantage of quick use before the school day began. There was even the styling gel in there that he used on his hair to slick back the sides from his eyes and add and hold his curls. I smiled a bit to myself at that. Yuu always tended to get fussy when his curls fell and drooped. His single vanity to go with holding his serious manner of dressing. Tall and distinguished. And then his hair. I smiled a bit more. Of course he brought his styling gel.

Thankfully, since I unexpectedly turned up, he wouldn't have to run all the way back to the apartment first for me. Still, he kept to the plan he'd set up before and taken the bathroom first.

Well, me. And then him.

"I already used it. Yuu let me go before him. I don't think there's another one, but there's time before—"

"Awesome," Yusuke remarked sarcastically and he drew himself up. "He's no pretty boy and should be out soon 'cause I gotta take a dump."

"Urameshi," Kuwabara screeched out. "You can't talk like that around—"

But Yusuke had already marched himself over to the bathroom and was pounding loudly on the door. "Hey! I gotta take a crap! Hurry it up in there!"

No response followed.

"They been in there a while?" I turned to see Yana shuffling in, slumped and ruffled. A hand drifted up to bat his long strands up, which somehow still managed to remain mostly upright throughout the night. He peered blearily at Yusuke pounding and shouting at the door for a while. "Minamino?"

"Kurama?" Kuwabara said. "Eh, no. Kurama figured out it was stocked and used it last night before I did. Us and Botan then wound up talking most the rest of the night about group strategies for searching with… Kaito's in there."

Droopy eyes blinked once, then Yana dragged his hand down his face. "Of course he is," he grumbled.

I frowned along with Kuwabara at that comment. Going back to looking at the door, I wondered why Yuu's avoidance of Yusuke extended this far that he didn't respond to the pounding on the door. It wasn't as though Yusuke was looking for a fight with him or Yusuke was in a fight at the moment. He just wanted to use the bathroom.

"What is with all the noise Yusuke?" Asked a new voice.

"Her brother is in there taking forever when I gotta—"

"Patience," cut in an irritated voice. Yuu stood at the open door, just off to the side and back a step as he spoke. "As I've been told, is considered a virt—"

Yusuke whooped, squeezing through the opening in the doorway and Yuu stepped quickly forward before he could be shoved out. The door slammed shut. Two seconds later, Yusuke was cackling loudly. "No second bathroom here Kuwabara!"

There was a pause as we all stared at the door, then Botan let out a noise of disgust. "Ugh! That's disgusting Yusuke!"

It didn't seem likely to stop him, I thought, not with how he laughed after her verbal reaction.

Sighing loudly, Kuwabara shook his head. "Moron. This is why Kurama and I used it last night. We've already been forced to live with this all during the Dark Tournament. And I can hold it until school. Er…" He glanced over to Yana, looking suddenly uncomfortably guilty and apologetic. "You and Kido didn't need to use it this morning, did you? I kind of forgot to give a heads up for dealing with the moron."

Yana shrugged. "I'm fine." His droopy eyes peered over to Yuu, staring a bit, then let out a long breath. "Hey, you didn't happen to cart your stuff out when you finished up?"

"Luckily," Yuu said dryly as he gave the closed bathroom door an extremely annoyed look. There was a giggle from off to the side. I quickly looked. Botan. Then back to my older brother. He had pulled out his styling gel from his pocket. "I did."

Catching, fumbling some with the toss, Yana's mouth broke out into a grin. "Sweet. Pay you back with a new one Kaito."

A new one? A whole brand new one? I stared, studying Yana's hair, going up on tip toe to get a better view. Exactly how much did Yana use to keep it up like that? It was already mostly upright from the night after all.

"Hey, uh, Kaito? Anyway I can borrow a dollop of it?"

A loud shout of far too much glee echoed from the bathroom, followed by more cackling.

"Moron," Kuwabara repeated his earlier insult with almost a fondness in it as he shook his head, rolling his eyes.

I stared and slowly inched away from the direction of the door. "Yuu? Thanks for letting me go first."

"I can't believe that…that…that child is…" Yuu stared at the door is disbelief, teeth clicking together as he sucked in a breath. "Does he hold no regard for anyone else who needs to use the facilities?"

"I feel like this is just like a family from a show, siblings standing around complaining and pounding on doors to the bathroom," Botan chirruped brightly. Then added sourly. "Except it's Yusuke and I still need to go."

Exasperated, Yuu spun his head to stare at her. I peered up, biting my lip. It really appeared as though she'd gotten on his bad side from the start with mentioning our dad like she did. Now, anything she said was going to rub him wrong it seemed. Botan froze and laughed nervously. "Sorry! I just keep managing to say the wrong things around you, don't I?"

Wanting Yuu to work well with the upcoming searches, I reached out to tug at his pants to ask him to give her another chance, another first impression.

"That is his regard, I'm afraid to tell you Kaito," cut in a smooth voice. I jumped, spinning, going close to Yuu as I saw Kurama walking in with Asato following him. "Or at least it's an exploit he finds humor in. How well do you think it will go over with Yusuke?"

At the question, Kuwabara's head swiveled over with a snap, distracted from trying to get his hands on the styling gel. "You did it?" An unruffled smile followed. Kuwabara immediately began snickering with a giddy grin, looking far too pleased. Not well."

"I tucked a plant in the bathroom last night after my own use, anticipating he would attempt such stunts again," he informed the room. Then smiled serenely at the bathroom door. I found myself turning to look, listening carefully.

It didn't take long for Yusuke to go off, Yuu to slam his large palms over my ears, and for me to hear a muffled scream at Yusuke on my behalf from Kuwabara. I grinned at the door, amused at the very vocal reaction at his shenanigans being put to a halt.

"Dimwit," scoffed Genkai as she passed the room.

Botan quickly claimed the bathroom next and I followed her with my eyes. Even though I wanted her and Yuu to work well together in their search of Mushiyori City, I didn't want them getting along that well. She said herself she ferried souls. And appeared familiar with who we were for some reason. Her job or because, well, I didn't want Yuu to find out he was written down to be the reason for… He couldn't find out. I didn't want to see him put himself through that. And then be open to whatever reason for Sensui had for—

"I'm freshened up," she announced close to me. And Yuu. Her wide eyes flicked over to him apprehensively, but that determination shone through. "Can we… We need to talk about what I was trying to bring up last night. About the circumstances of her soul. It needs to be talked about. I know all of this going on, but the truth is that her soul—"

"It's fine," I defended Yuu. His hand had gone noticeably tight at my shoulder. "It's still there, I'm still here, it's fine. It's not like it's gone, because I'm not a zombie."

Botan bit her lip. Hard. Eyes flickered from me to Yuu to me and back to Yuu. Her voice lowered. "About that…"

"I said there's nothing wrong with me. I'm fine. So my soul is fine. There's nothing wrong with it."

"Rin," Yuu's voice beseeched me hoarsely. "It's…okay. I…I should know what… Why don't you go over with Yana for a minute?"

"No. I'm staying here with you." I was looking up at him for my declaration and saw his head nod. Breathing out, his hand lost tension at my shoulder, his own shoulders slumping slightly before squaring them back as he looked back to Botan. Pursing my lips, I squinted my eyes up at her. "Fine. But if you upset my older brother, I'll be having words with you, because he is awesome. Do you got that? Yuu is the best."

Startled, she stared at me after my second declaration, my more firm declaration, and suddenly smiled at me. "Oh gosh, you're so cute! Of course he is! That's totally right. You adore him, don't you? I remember that from going through your guide book with Sayaka some time ago."

"Sayaka?" Popping up from where he'd gone from trying to argue with Kurama and wrestling with Kuwabara over the injustice of what they did, Yusuke hopped over with interest. "I haven't thought about her in a while. How's she been doing after everything?"

"Good," Botan answered brightly. Behind me, I felt Yuu shift, like a fidget. "She's insisted on becoming a ferry girl, so that she can help you when your time is finally up. And looks forward to doing so with all your family and friends. She hopes you haven't forgotten."

Baffled, he blinked, taken aback. "About her? How could I forget Sayaka?"

"No silly!" She laughed at him. "About Keiko and you before you cross over and having four kids. Two boys and two girls."

Stiffening, Yusuke's face went comedically red and he quickly looked away, shoving his hands into his pants. "Tch!" He quickly spun about and disappeared away, surprising the rest of the group hanging out outside the bathroom with his pop up return.

I giggled. Botan looked to me with a smile, giggling too. "Yusuke. That boy. Always trying to act so macho and deny they're more than friends. You'd like Keiko. Er, but speaking of Sayaka…" Her head turned to Yuu, motioning for us to follow her off to the side where our conversation couldn't be overheard again. The smile left my face and I gaped at her, shaking my head. Don't say it, don't say it, don't say it. "Did no one come when…when her soul was removed by accident?"

Yuu's whole body went tense. Teeth gritted. "Yes," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oooh." Botan's feet danced in her spot a little, then walked farther away from the rest, closer to us. "I'm terribly sorry about asking over this, I really am. But I feel I really must. I already know and remember from her guide book about there being an accident with her… Sorry, I'm sorry. But, I haven't happened to run into Sayaka lately and I'm kind of surprised she didn't come looking for me considering it was to be her first…I mean you two are...and she got rather attached to um… I'm really not helping, am I? I'm trying to figure out how to word this well!"

She sucked in a breath. "Okay. Can you explain what happened? I know you'll not want to, but her soul is…" Botan bit her lip, looking scared to say it, yet did so anyway. "Not like anything I've seen before."

Yuu shuddered at the force of his breathing in, then out at that, a small and panicked noise exiting him. I reached out and grasped his large hand with my small ones. Then turned to Botan.

"I'm fine," I reiterated. "Yuu was practicing, but I didn't know that when I went in and said something taboo. He kept me safe. He put it back. Kept me safe. I am fine."

"How?" Her gaze went from mine to back to Yuu. "It can't have been like mine or Kuwabara's souls. Ours are intact, as if nothing removed them, put back as found. Rin's soul is… I'm not sure how to read into what I'm seeing and I am positive I will word it poorly and I've done enough making you upset in things coming out of my mouth. Can you tell me how? Please?"

He swallowed. I gripped at his large hand, squeezing in reassurance, twining myself into the crook of his arm. Then he took a breath in. "I panicked," he admitted thickly. "I didn't think logically, like I should have, and made to grab, to physically put it back…instead of merely cancelling my territory's current game. Like I should have done."

Yuu sounded absolutely disgusted with himself. I hugged his arm tightly. This must be the part that was written in that ripped out page from my guide book Sensui had his hands on and delivered to me via Tsukihito. About my soul being marred, supposed to be responsible for my death. Yuu was trying to not voice just how much he grievously messed up, how much he failed me, how much he held himself responsible for his gut reaction mistake. And how his unthinking actions had done the opposite of what he'd meant to do. I hugged even tighter.

"That's completely understandable," Botan said softly. "What did you do next?"

"Stared." He let out a hallow laugh, head turning away, looking at the wall as he continued. I let go of his arm and turned myself, wrapping my arms around as much of him that I could, grasping tight to his school jacket. A large hand automatically covered my head, loosely cupping it as his fingers stroked a tentative motion, and I leaned into it as I kept my hold around him.

"I just stared, like an idiot at what I did to... Then begged with everything in me that what I did worked while she…laid there." His larger and longer fingers stilled from their movement. I could feel Yuu's body trembling a bit under my arms. I gave him a squeeze with my gasping hands. "A hole appeared in my room. Not on the ground, but above our heads. A long pale arm reached out for…for."

Adjusting her frowning eyebrows, Botan nodded quickly. "I get it, keep going."

"Sayaka I presume, doing her job. My mind leapt to terror. If it were possible to do fantastical type things, then a shining person with unnaturally colored teal hair, one hand glowing and the other arm reaching out for…for… Some sort of afterlife could be possible and people ferrying the souls were likely true and one was reaching out. Reaching out for…"

"For me," I asked him. I looked up. His chin dipped down sharply, jerkily. "But you kept me safe. I know you did. Because I'm right here Yuu."

"I finally cancelled my territory. It didn't…didn't work. Cancelling had always returned the souls to the body, without question. They'd go back to how they were before. But…it didn't work." There followed a long moment of silence. Then. "So I broke the taboo I'd set up."

Botan frowned. "Maybe some of your desire to protect your sister leaked through? I can't say for sure, but…it maybe fits with what I'm seeing?"

"What," Yuu began. Then licked at his lips, turning his face away from the wall and back to Botan. "What do you see? Is there a way I…we can fix it if there's something…"

He didn't finish the question. I gave him another squeeze. And mumbled up against him. "I'm fine Yuu. Nothing is wrong with me."

"You didn't have that kind of energy before," he said.

"Oh! That's not a bad thing," Botan quickly reassured him. "And not unexpected in the given circumstances. It often happens when humans have brushes with supernatural type things. Like how there are so many more psychics with territories lately. Or how Yusuke died to…nevermind. I shouldn't have used his dying example."

Yuu gave her a look. "Get on with it." Then paused, squirming a bit, shifting his feet. "Just…hit me with it. What do you see? Tell me."

Botan fidgeted herself. "Okay," she said slowly. "I'm not sure how to describe it in the best way, but it is like…there is a weaving dance of something going on, dark tears being kept from being ripped apart…"

She swallowed, looking apologetic at what her words were causing. Yuu's large hand trembled on my head. Botan continued on.

"By the spinning help of the weaving dance of something there. Which, doesn't really happen when there are…tears like that. And even odder, whatever is going on with her soul, it's holding it, but it's holding back from filling the dark space. There's tendrils meeting briefly, not for long. And other hints of color are more…prevalent than normal. Usually, I can see the overall color of someone easily. Like your pastel green Kaito. But the other hints seem more than hints in hers. Particularly one other color it seems. I'm guessing that's only because of the tears of space that they seem more though."

I stared. Yuu was still. That's odd. It kind of matched the whole thing I hoped what was a territory for me, because what else—

"I mean," she laughed her nerves off and joked. "Her soul has been like this for hours, longer than that since it happened. It's not like the more prominent butter yellow with her eggshell blue color could possibly be a whole other soul. There's no such thing as coexisting souls."

I was absolutely frozen.

Botan continued, not aware of what I or Yuu were so shock still from.

"But I'll ask up in Spirit World as soon as I have an opportunity. Chances seem real high that your desire to fix her leaked through when you did that, so that's probably all it is. Rin isn't wrong when she declares you the best if you're willing to do something like that for her."

She beamed at me.

"You got one of the best for older brothers."

Then stood back up from leaning down to inform me of this. "I better get back to the rest and I'll get back to you as soon as possible on her soul situation Kaito. Between Koenma and Sayaka from her end and Ayame with her more expert knowledge over the years, I got you covered. Oh, right. You had your glasses on right?"

Apparently unable to speak, Yuu nodded.

"Huh. Weird. I'll ask Sayaka about it." She waved her arms about. "Nothing to worry about, I promise. I'm sorry, both of you. Maybe I shouldn't have said what I saw after all. Except I thought it'd worry your big brother here.

"It's just normally we travel on oar over any portal like that. It might be that's why her hand was glowing, she's new to ferrying souls and last I talked to her, she was having issues with getting an oar to form consistently. And last I knew, she hadn't dyed her hair. Huh. Bet it looks great though despite Ayame getting annoyed about us doing things like that." Botan put on a grin and waved as she went by, her own long blue hair flowing behind her.

Yuu caught her sleeve.

"Would what you see…match with remembering a former life?"

I peered up intently, drawing my chin up and stepping forward a bit so Yuu's hand wasn't in the way to properly see her. Botan froze. And turned to stare back at us.

"It…it's a human concept, idea, joke. It doesn't actually happen."

She stared.

"Reincarnation even doesn't…it's a whole new life."

Her eyes drifted down to stare at me.

"Remembering a former life."

I stared back, stepping back into Yuu's safe arms, shaky, but safe arms.

"It doesn't actually happen."

Botan's purple eyes were incredible. Incredibly wide.

"I was only asking," Yuu said suddenly. He stepped back, pulling me with him. "Asking."

She shook her head, clearing it. "Of course! You were just asking, you didn't know it wasn't possible. Of course that's not it at all. But like I promised you, I'll ask about it up in Spirit World and see if it is as I'm guessing with your desire strong enough and your willingness to do something like what you did to correct what happened."

Then she was off to the rest again.